Our Little Man
by My-Bella
Summary: Partner to LLC. All Human-OOC. Rated M, but mostly fluff. Edward and Bella are now parents to a baby boy, Charlie. Alice and Jasper have twins, and Lily is talking up a storm. Life for the Cullens isn't as little as it was before. Can they handle it?
1. Happy, Happy News

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**DISCLAIMER:** The characters do not belong to me…they are all the creation of the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. All are human.

**This is **_**Our Little Man**_**, the sequel to **_**Life's Little Choices**_**. Bella and Edward are 23 years old. This is Bella and Edward's fourth Christmas together. They've been married for a year and a half. Everyone is human, which of course means they will be OOC - plus, Emmett raised Bella, so she's a lot more outgoing.  
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**Edward's POV**

"What time is your doctor's appointment?" I asked, looking up at her reflection in our bathroom mirror.

"Ten," she replied, looking back at me.

"Do you want me to go with you?"

"No. It's fine. You're probably right. It's probably just a relapse of the flu I had a last month. He'll write me a prescription for more antibiotics and I'll be back to my normal self in no time."

"I hope so. I knew we went out dancing too soon after."

I mentally berated myself for the umpteenth time for agreeing to Alice's demands for a night of dancing. It had only caused Bella to have a relapse of the flu. She had really scared me the first time around so I was even more apprehensive about her having a relapse. She'd been so sick with such a high fever, and she had stubbornly refused to go to the doctor. I ended up having to carry her to his office myself.

"Don't start that again!" she fussed, waving her toothbrush at me. "I felt perfectly fine that night, as evidenced by the way we stayed up all night making love when we got home. I _know_ your parents heard us!"

"My mom may have mentioned something about wanting to soundproof our room," I joked, grinning at her.

She slapped my arm playfully. "You keep that up and it'll be a very long time before those hands of yours get anywhere near me."

I took her into my arms and hugged her gently—she'd been sick this morning and I didn't want to chance squeezing her stomach too much. "I love you, Bella Cullen."

"I love _you_, Edward Cullen." She stood on her tip-toes and kissed my nose. "I'm off to the doctor. I should be home a little after lunch by the time I get the prescription."

"Would you like me to cook for you?"

"We better wait and see how my appetite is. Right now, I couldn't possibly think of eating, seeing as it would just reappear."

"That's really gross, Bella," I said with mock disgust.

"You can complain when you're the one puking first thing in the morning," she shot back. "I'm taking the Volvo since you're staying in with Emmett and Jasper."

"How do you know I'm staying in?"

"They're home and the Xbox is hooked up," she replied, a smug smile on her lips. "Don't get into too much trouble with those two while I'm out."

"Wouldn't dream of it, love," I laughed, pulling her close. I tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear before giving her a goodbye kiss.

She smiled and then she was gone. As I stared at the open door, I wondered again if I should have gone with her. Bella had a tendency to edit and I knew if the doctor ordered more bed-rest, she wouldn't pass that information on to me. She was nothing if not stubborn. I shook my head and smiled, knowing that I would never care how stubborn she was, because I loved her with everything in me.

I laced up my sneakers and headed downstairs to find my brothers-in-law. Rose, Alice, and Lily were the only ones in the living room, though. "Where are your weaker halves, ladies?" I asked, sitting next to Rose and Lily.

"They made a stupid bet about who could run a mile and back without getting winded," Rose replied.

"There won't be a winner," Alice said knowingly.

Lily giggled and I looked down at her. "And how is my favorite niece this morning?" I cooed to Lily.

Lily had Emmett's light-brown, curly hair and deep blue eyes. She also had Rosalie's pale face, slender nose, and pouty lips.

"She was hoping Uncle Edward wouldn't mind taking her into the kitchen and feeding her breakfast," Rose said slyly.

"And just where might her mother be while we're in the kitchen?" I asked, lifting an eyebrow.

"Her mother will be on the porch, waiting to see her husband make a fool of himself," Rose chuckled.

"In that case, I would love to," I said, holding my hands out to Lily.

Lily immediately leaned forward for me to pick her up. Bella and I had been more than happy to baby-sit for Lily on numerous occasions, and Lily and I had become good buddies.

"Come on, Lily Bear," I said to her, holding her close. "I bet Grammy Esme has some strawberries that need eating."

"Her Cheerios are in the cabinet to the right of the stove," Rose called.

"Got it," I replied, as I walked through the swinging door that led to the kitchen. "Cheerios and strawberries, Lily. One to throw and one to mush all over yourself. Sounds like the perfect breakfast."

I settled Lily into her highchair and made sure she could see my while I prepared her breakfast. I grabbed the box of Cheerios first and shook a handful onto her highchair tray, causing her to giggle and clap. She was truly a happy baby and her laugh always made the rest of us smile and laugh.

I reached into the refrigerator and pulled out the strawberries. As I sliced up the fruit, I talked to my niece. "So how's life in the crib, Lily Bear? Made any new friends lately? I heard from Aunt Bella that your daddy lost Mr. Frog."

"OHS!" Lily cried as she tossed a piece of cereal at me. She had good aim, but not much force so the piece of cereal hardly went past her highchair.

"What kind of gratitude is that for your uncle? I'm here, slaving away to cut up your strawberries and you're tossing cereal at me."

She stuck out her tongue, blowing spittle at me, and I laughed. After cutting the last piece of fruit, I brought the cutting board over and pushed the strawberry pieces onto her highchair tray. Lily grabbed a piece and put it in her mouth. She started making little noises as she chewed on the piece of fruit.

"I take it you like it," I chuckled as I walked away to put the board into the sink. I grabbed the knife from the counter and put it in the sink as well before sitting down next to Lily.

She made a game out of offering me her food and drawing her hand back as soon as I leaned close to her. Her giggles were nearly constant as we played this familiar game.

"Lily Bear!" I said, pretending to be sad. "Hasn't Uncle Edward earned one little Cheerio?"

Emmett's boom laughter filled the house, announcing his return with Jasper. Lily forgot all about me as she clapped and immediately started repeating one of her newest words, "daddy".

The kitchen door swung open and I looked up to see Emmett and Jasper sauntering into the kitchen, wearing identical, goofy grins.

"Was there a winner?" I asked.

"A mile is a lot further than I remember," Jasper chuckled, as he sat down next to me.

Emmett crouched down next to Lily with his mouth open wide. She giggled and tried to put a strawberry piece into his mouth, but her aim was a little off. She ended up squishing it against the corner of his mouth. "Thanks for that," Emmett chuckled, swiping at the fruit with his tongue while Jasper and I laughed.

Lily had definitely brought out a softer side of Emmett. Nothing could turn him from a grizzly to a teddy quicker than her smile. And with having his own baby to raise, Emmett had finally stopped treating Bella like a little kid…for the most part.

"Emmett said you sent Bella to the doctor. Is everything okay?" Jasper asked, once his laughter was under control.

"I'm pretty sure it's a relapse of the flu," I said.

"Maybe not. Maybe it'll be sinuses or something simple like that," Emmett offered. He knew how worried I had been about Bella when she had been sick.

"Maybe," I sighed, not all that confident it would be something simple.

Emmett was never one for serious conversation, so as usual, he changed the topic. "Care to partake in some video games?" he asked with a big grin.

"Actually, I think I better get started on grading some of the papers for my students. I'm sure they'd like to have their grades before the year ends," I said, getting up.

"All work and no play makes Eddie a dull boy," Emmett chuckled.

"And calling me 'Eddie' will make Emmett something I can't say in front of sweet, little Lily Bear," I retorted.

"Saved by the baby once again," Jasper chuckled.

I shook my head at them as I walked out of the kitchen. As I passed through the living room, I noticed that Alice and Rose were deep into yet another fashion magazine. It was nice to see that even though we'd all grown-up and started families, some things never changed. My sister was still a shopping addict and Rose could still rival any model in the world. And my Bella was still as amazing and captivating as she'd ever been. I hoped, once again, that she just had a stomach virus or something else that was short-term.

As I walked into our room, I grabbed my briefcase and brought it over to the sofa. I opened it up and grabbed the first of many final essays for the music class I taught. Bella and I were both college professors now, and I taught Introduction to Classical Music, while Bella instructed a course on nineteenth century literature. It was perfect for her since she was able to share her passion for the authors of that time period.

I was finally getting near the end of the pile of essays when Bella came home. I heard the door close and started reading a little faster, anxious to find out what the doctor had told her.

"Edward, I need to talk to you," she said softly.

She sounded a little nervous and I wanted to make sure I gave her my full attention, which would only happen if I finished this paper. I tended to be a perfectionist at times, and I knew it I would keep thinking about this paper if I didn't finish it.

"Okay. Let me finish this paragraph and you will have my undivided attention." I raced through the final paragraph, then put the paper down and smiled at my beautiful wife. "Go ahead."

"It's about the car thing. I think we're going to need to get another one," she said.

"Did something happen with the Volvo today?" I asked, her nervousness taking on a new meaning.

"Not exactly."

"What does 'not exactly' mean, Bella?"

"I just think it might be time to let you get me a new car instead of the used one we replaced my truck with." She edged a little closer to me, still looking hesitant and nervous.

I opened my arms for her and she sat on my lap, facing me. "Why the sudden interest in a new car?"

She shrugged. "I just thought you might want to have your child riding in a safer car. I'll keep the old one if you want, though."

_Child_? My brain and lungs shut down for a second. Did she just say "child"? I had to have misheard her. She couldn't be? Could she? "Bella?" It was all I could manage to croak out.

"I'm not sick, Edward. I'm pregnant."

I felt my jaw drop and my eyes grow large. This had to be some sort of vivid daydream. We'd always been careful to make sure Bella was consistent with her birth control.

"I know!" Bella cried, pointing at my face. "That's the look I gave the doctor. I asked him how this was possible. Seems that antibiotics knock out the 'control' part of birth control, leaving the 'birth' part behind. So that lovely night of dancing we were joking about just this morning was the culprit." She gave me a moment to process her words before she spoke again. "I know this is a lot to process, but could you say something _before_ I scream?"

"You're pregnant?" I questioned, checking to make sure I had heard correctly.

She nodded her head slowly, biting at her lower lip.

I felt a smile creep across my face as I realized the amazing angel before me was really, truly pregnant with _our_ child. "You're pregnant." I needed to repeat it once more, to make it completely real for me.

She nodded again, this time with a bright smile on her gorgeous lips.

I pulled her into my arms and ran out of our room. I stopped at the top of the stairs and yelled out across the house. I wanted _everyone_ to know this wonderful news. "BELLA'S PREGNANT!"

Doors started opening across the house and Bella clung to me, as the sound of running footsteps filled the air around us.

"Oh, Bella!" Alice shrieked, as she ran up the stairs, beating everyone else.

I pulled Bella away from the stairs, seeing that Alice was over-excited. Bella wasn't always steady on her feet and I didn't want to risk an accident. She tended to be a bit of a klutz at times, although she'd gotten much better in the last few years.

Alice hugged Bella tightly around the shoulders, but kept away from her stomach. "I'm going to be an aunt!" Alice squealed.

"Not that I'm not excited, but how did this happen?" Emmett asked, holding Lily in his arms. "I thought you two were being careful. You haven't been out of college that long."

I was ecstatic to see him being so calm. He could be a tad unreasonable where Bella was concerned, often going to extremes to make sure she would be safe. He'd once bruised a rib on her after freaking out over an outfit my sister and Rose had dressed Bella in to go out to a club.

"Well, _dad_!" Bella said sarcastically. "It was an accident. There was a little something Renee forgot to mention and I never knew to ask about."

"Which was?" Rose asked, as she took Lily from Emmett.

Bella kissed Lily's forehead and smiled at Rose. "The antibiotics they give you for the flu can make your birth control ineffective."

"Oh!" Jasper cried, as he started laughing and sat down hard on the stairs. "That's just … Oh!"

"What's with him?" I asked Alice.

My sister smiled. "That's how Rose and he came to be."

"Carlisle, we're going to be grandparents again. Better break out your old man slippers," Esme teased.

"I will be the youngest, hippest grandpa, Esme," Carlisle quipped. "No slippers for me."

"We have so much to decide and plan!" Alice said, taking Bella's hand in hers. "There's clothing and accessories, and where you're going to live so we can get a nursery underway as soon as possible."

"Alice, stop," I said softly, prying my wife's hand away from my sister. "You're going to freak Bella out unnecessarily. Let's just be happy for the moment and enjoy Christmas. We can talk about all of this after."

"Fine! But we will talk about it," Alice warned. She quickly started smiling again. "I'm going to be Auntie Ali!" She sat in Jasper's lap, throwing her arms around him. "How's that sound, Uncle Jazzy?"

"We already have those names, Alice," Jasper chuckled. "Lily, remember?"

"Of course, I remember! I'm just excited! We all knew Rose would have a family. But who would have thought little Eddie would grow up, marry a beautiful woman, and bring a baby into the world?" Alice giggled.

"So then everyone is happy about this?" Bella asked. It was clear in her tone of voice that she was nervous of everyone's reaction to the news.

We all screamed her name together. "Bella!"

"God, I hope the kid has better sense than you," Emmett joked, pulling Bella into a hug.

"Just so long as the baby has her sense of humor," Rose added.

"But the baby has to be musically inclined like Edward," Alice said.

"Stop!" Bella chuckled. "Can I just be pregnant for a whole day before you all map out our baby's life?"

I turned Bella around and smiled at her. "Our baby, Bella."

"Yes, Edward," she said, wrapping her arms around my neck. "Our baby."

"Now that you've all been informed, I'm stealing my wife for the rest of the afternoon," I announced.

"Edward, you can't do that!" Alice pouted.

"Watch me," I challenged. I lifted Bella up bridal style and rushed her into our room, locking the door behind us.

Alice pounded on the door. "Edward Anthony Cullen! You bring Bella back out here this instant."

I put my finger over Bella's lips, hoping the silence would help convince Alice to go away for now. I was sure the pixie would try to steal my wife again later on.

"Alice, let them be alone," Esme chided. "They need some time to discuss the news amongst themselves. You will have plenty of time to torture Bella with shopping and planning later on."

"Mom, it's _not_ torture! It's _very_ necessary," Alice defended, her voice fading as she walked off with the rest of our family.

Bella looked up at me, love and humor shining in her deep, brown eyes. I pulled her closer and kissed her, letting her know just how much I loved her. This woman, my wife, was going to make us parents and I couldn't have been happier about it.

"Edward," Bella sighed, pulling away from our kiss to breathe.

I settled onto the bed, with Bella lying on top of me, her back against my chest. I put my hand under her shirt and held it against her stomach, my goofy grin growing wider. There was a baby growing right beneath my hand. _Our_ baby. We had created a life together…bits and pieces of the both of us. God, I hoped the baby would look just like her…and have a mind like hers, too, but definitely with my math skills.

"What are you doing?" she giggled, putting her hand on top of mine.

"I just told you. I'm stealing you for myself for the rest of the day," I said.

"Okay," she sighed, relaxing completely against me.

"What? No complaints? No insisting that I share you with the family?"

"Nope. None," she said. "I think we should probably have an actual conversation about things."

"And what _things_ would you like to discuss?"

"I would think it would be pretty obvious, Tutor-boy!"

I frowned at her, even though she couldn't see it. Four years together and I still hadn't been able to get her to give up on that nickname.

"I can hear you frowning," she chuckled.

"Bella, you cannot _hear_ a frown."

"_I_ can," she replied with conviction.

"Make me stop frowning then," I challenged.

She turned in my arms and looked down at me, a smug smile on her gorgeous lips. "Edward! We're going to have a baby."

"That did it," I sighed, lifting my face up to meet hers.

"So, what do we do now?" she asked, pulling away at the last second. Those beautiful, brown eyes of hers showed me so many emotions: love, happiness, elation, curiosity, and a little bit of fear. Bella had always been bit apprehensive of change.

I moved us so that we were lying on our sides, facing each other. "For right now, this very second, I say we just enjoy each other's company."

"That sounds…excellent." She snuggled closer to me, draping her arm across my waist.

I started stroking her hair and shoulder, knowing she had given in too easily. Her questions were going to eat at her before long, so I waited patiently for them to begin. Bella was capable of a mean, rapid-fire version of twenty questions when something grabbed her attention.

"Edward?" she called after about five minutes of silence.

"Yes, love?"

"Are you really happy about this? About us having a baby?"

I titled her chin up with my finger, getting her to look at my eyes. "Bella, just as there are no words to express my love for you, there are even less to describe the elation I feel at knowing there is a life growing inside of you." I moved my hand, resting it against her stomach, and she put her own over mine. "Are _you_ happy?"

"Ecstatic! I never thought I would know what it was like to be a part of a family again, until I fell in love with you. So to know that we are going to bring a baby into the world…Edward, it's beyond anything. It's beyond _everything_!"

"Emmett took it rather well, don't you think?"

Bella laughed happily, her brown eyes sparkling. "I think it was only because he was holding Lily and Rose has really been on him to watch his mouth around the baby."

"What brought that on?"

"Lily started saying 'crap' every time Rose went to change her diaper," Bella giggled.

"I suppose that was bound to happen seeing as that's one of Emmett's favorite _naughty_ words."

She started biting her lip and I had to hold back my laughter. Any second now, she was going to break and the questions would come pouring out of her. I tapped her nose playfully with my finger, and it was as if it was an on-button for her.

"Do you want a boy or a girl? Do you have a preference? Do you think I'm going to get very fat? Do you think my belly will be as round as Rose's was? Are you going to run out in the middle of the night if I have a craving? Should we call Angela and Ben? Do you think Charlie and Renee know? If they do, do you think they're happy?"

I put my hand over her mouth. "Bella, if you don't stop and take a breath right this second…"

She pulled my hand away and gave me a gorgeous smile. "You still aren't any good at threats, honey."

"I noticed you took a breath, love," I chuckled.

"So!" she sang.

"So," I chuckled.

"_Edward_! Won't you answer any of my questions?" she pouted.

"I would, except you fired them at me a little too quickly this time. If you'd like to slow down and ask them one at a time, I'd gladly answer them for you."

"You're no fun," she giggled. "Okay! I'll start over. Do you want a boy or a girl?"

"Either. It doesn't matter. As long as the baby looks just like you."

"Don't curse the baby, Edward. That's not nice." Bella had always had trouble seeing herself clearly and recognizing her own beauty. No matter how many times I told her she was beautiful and gorgeous, part of her always doubted my words. Luckily, I could be just as stubborn as she could and I would never stop praising her.

"Isabella, you are the most beautiful creature on this planet. How could you say the baby would be cursed?"

She completely ignored my question. "If it's a little boy, I want him to have hair just like yours."

"Now that's a curse," I laughed. "Poor little guy will never be able to do anything with it."

She reached up and ran her hand through my hair. "I happen to love the natural untidiness of your hair. He'd be lucky to have his be this nice."

"I definitely want the baby to view the world the way you do, love."

"Okay, but we need to balance that out with your math skills."

"I agree," I laughed. "Next question."

"Should we call Angela and Ben?" she asked.

"I think we should tell them when they come over for the traditional Christmas Eve pancake breakfast in two days."

"I like that idea. Good thinking, honey."

"Thank you, beautiful mother-to-be."

"Aw, Edward," she sobbed, burying her face into my shirt.

I held her close, rubbing her back. "What did I say? Why are you crying?"

"I don't know," she said, continuing to cry.

I couldn't help it, I started laughing. "I can tell the next however many months are going to be very interesting. Speaking of that, you never did tell me how far along you are."

Bella lifted her head and wiped her tears away. "I don't know. We're going to find out on next Friday. I made an appointment to see Dr. Johnson. The nurse says you can come with me, if you want."

"As if there was anywhere else I would ever be," I told her, placing a tender kiss on her forehead.

"Do you think my mom and dad know and are happy?" she whispered.

When I first met the beautiful angel lying next to me, she was reluctant to mention her parents in anyway. Her parents had died in a tragic car accident when Bella was only fifteen, and she had refused to let herself think about them or grieve for them properly. Over the last few years, Bella had worked hard on letting go of her grief, and concentrating on the happy memories she had shared with her parents. But I was sure she was missing them a great deal at the moment.

"I believe they know and are extremely happy," I said, trying to reassure her.

"Do you think I'm going to get very fat?"

"More questions?" I chuckled.

"A few more," she admitted. "So do you?"

"Pregnant women are not fat…_ever_! They are round with child."

"Good answer, Tutor-boy!" she giggled.

I smiled and placed a kiss on the top of her head. "I mean it, Bella. You'll look beautiful regardless of any baby weight you may gain."

"You're being awfully presumptuous," she replied.

"Next question."

"Fine. I'll let it go for now. Do you think my belly will be as round as Rose's was?"

"That is one question I can't answer. Everyone is different. But if you take after your mother, as you do in many ways, I'm sure it will be perfectly round and lovely."

"What if it's odd shaped or something?" she asked, her nose crinkling slightly.

"Bella," I laughed. "That is a ridiculous concern at this point."

"Yeah, I know. I'll move on to the next question then. Are you going to run out in the middle of the night if I have a craving?"

"Absolutely. Twice, if need be."

"You are such a good husband, Edward. I love you."

"I love you, too, Bella."

She was quite for a few minutes as she traced patterns onto my shirt. "Edward?"

"Yes, love?"

"Do you think I'll be a good mother?"

"Without a doubt." And I meant that. No child could wish for a more loving person to be their mother. "What about me?"

"I think you'd make a horrible mother, but only because you're lacking some of the necessary equipment. But if you don't mind being the father, I'm sure you'll be perfect at it. You're practically perfect at everything. You very nearly got the lights on the tree correctly this year."

"Isabella Cullen, what am I going to do with you?" I growled playfully, as I cupped her face in my hands.

"The same thing you always do…Love me and tell me I'm beautiful."

I smiled and kissed her cheeks softly. "I love you and you are beyond beautiful." She was an angel in every way imaginable. And now, My Bella was pregnant with our baby. It almost seemed too perfect to be real.


	2. The Spoiling Starts

I know you guys aren't used to me taking so long! I'm trying to churn out chapters as fast as I can, but I also need to go slow enough to make sure they're good. So forgive the length between updates.

Also! **Life's Little Choices is up for 2 Twilight Awards!** How cool is that? The link is on my profile page. I don't know when voting opens up or anything, but I'm just excited to be nominated. Shows how much of a difference a week can make. While thinks are still rather sucky on the personal front, at least I seem to be managing to write decently! LOL! Gotta take joy in the small things! Hope you all are having a great day!

My-Bella :P

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**DISCLAIMER:** The characters do not belong to me…they are all the creation of Stephenie Meyer. All are human.

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I smiled at Edward, loving the way he was cradling my face so tenderly. He really, truly seemed ecstatic about the baby and I knew he would be a great father. I also knew I was hungry and wanted to something to eat. I pulled away and scooted off the bed, my stomach growling lightly.

"Where do you think you're going?" Edward asked, taking hold of my hand.

I turned to see him pouting at me, looking sad that I was attempting to leave his side. I did my best not to laugh as I answered him. "To the kitchen. I'm hungry."

"Let me take you out for lunch," he offered, his crooked grin spreading across his beautiful face.

"Edward," I sighed, thinking of all the things we were going to need to spend money on in the next however many months. Lunch certainly didn't need to be added to the pile.

"Bella, you're pregnant with _our_ baby. Please let me spoil you without a fuss. It's all I can really do for you. You have to carry the baby and give birth. You've got a hard job to do, so please let me make it easier any way that I can." He was really pleading his case well, but I was still reluctant to agree.

"And you think buying me lunch somewhere makes it easier?" I asked, my lips twitching as I fought the urge to smile.

"Alice can't kidnap you if we aren't in the house," he pointed out.

"Promise me that we can go somewhere normal and not overly fancy," I demanded, knowing he had won no matter if he promised or not.

"I promise you we will go wherever you say, love."

"Alright, then," I sighed, letting him pull me closer. "Lunch with just you and me together sounds excellent."

"Thank you," he replied, brushing his lips over mine. It was such a tender and loving gesture and I felt myself wanting to cry again.

"You really do like to spoil me, don't you?" I asked, blinking back my stupid tears.

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because you spoil me every single day just by loving me the way you do. Taking you places you've never been and buying you gifts…Those things make me feel a little bit more like I deserve you."

"You have that backward. It's me who doesn't deserve you."

"You're right…You deserve much, much more for being the angel you are."

"If we don't stop this conversation soon, we'll argue this one point for the rest of the day and I'll never get my lunch."

"Then allow me to end it," he chuckled. He pressed his lips to mine, giving me a long, sweet kiss.

When I could remember how to make my brain work, I opened my eyes and looked right into his beautiful, green ones. "That was a good ending, Edward."

"That was only partly an ending, love. It ended that particular conversation, but it was also the beginning of what I have planned for you later."

"We should definitely get lunch out of the way then, because I really want to know more about these plans of yours."

"I thought you might," he laughed, as he stood up. "Stay close and keep a tight hold on my hand."

"I feel like we're sneaking out," I giggled.

"That's because we are," he whispered. "Keep close and quiet." He opened the bedroom door slowly and appeared to be listening for sounds. He smiled at me and then led me down the stairs and out of the house.

I started laughing as soon as we were close to the Volvo. "That was fun! Very exhilarating. We should sneak out more often."

"We'll probably have to do that a few times before Alice goes home," he chuckled, helping me into the Volvo.

As we drove through Seattle, I sat completely still in the passenger seat, trying to wrap my mind around the fact that my entire life had changed in just a few hours, on what should have been a typical Monday morning. Edward had been great so far—he'd handled my insane line of questioning with humor and calmness. I was so lucky to have him as my husband, and our baby would be very blessed to have him as a father. The words "our baby" echoed through my mind and I couldn't stop the squeal that jumped out of my throat.

Edward looked over at me; I'm not sure what the expression on my face was, but it must have been priceless because he started laughing very hard.

"Cut that out and watch the road, Mister," I warned him, trying not to join in on his laughter.

"Bella, your face right now," he chuckled, turning his attention back to the road. "What _are_ you thinking about?"

"About how you're going to be a daddy," I said, watching his face closely.

His lips pulled up so far and wide—it should have been impossible for him to smile so big. Those beautiful, emerald eyes of his were sparkling and bright as he ran his hand through his untidy bronze hair, taking a quick glance at me. He was probably just as nerve-wracked as I was. "It's a bit surreal, isn't it?" he said softly.

"Very," I agreed, nodding my head.

"So where would my beautiful, gorgeous, pregnant wife like to eat?"

"Can we go to Panera Bread? I'm in the mood for a good sandwich."

"We can go wherever your heart desires. I'm spoiling you, remember?"

"I doubt you'll let me forget it," I laughed.

"How about a compromise, my love? As long as you don't fuss, I won't remind you."

"I can live with that." I took his hand in mine and kissed his palm. "I love you, Edward."

"I love you, Bella." He took his hand out of mine and put it on my stomach. "And baby, too."

"Aw! You are so sweet," I sniffled.

"Please don't cry right now," Edward cooed, rubbing his hand against my cheek. He gave me a little smile, his green eyes dancing with playfulness. "I'll have to pull over to comfort you and you'll never get your lunch. I don't think our baby would be too happy with either of us if we don't get you fed."

I laughed at his joke, feeling happier and more loved than ever before. I was a little concerned for Edward, though. If I was this jumpy with my emotions now, what was I going to be like later on? I hoped I wouldn't be too horrible of a pregnant woman. I'd seen a few that were down right hysterical from the pregnancy hormones. Hopefully, this was all just a result of the shock of finding out about the baby and I would be calmer tomorrow.

Rose had softened up a little during her pregnancy, letting Emmett get away with a lot of things he normally would have been in trouble for, but she was too happy to be pregnant to bother. I couldn't stand the idea of upsetting Edward with crazy, irrational, hormone-driven fits. It was enough that he put up with my stubbornness and sense of humor everyday.

"You're scowling. What are you thinking about now?" he asked, turning my face towards his.

"Edward, you need to watch the road," I chided.

"From the parking lot?" he chuckled, pointing out the window.

I hadn't even realized he'd stopped the car. "No, I guess not," I laughed.

When I didn't say anything else, Edward asked his question again. "What are you thinking about, Bella?"

"I was wondering how you're going to put up with me if I'm this emotional now since I'm bound to get worse later on."

"Bella, I won't be _putting up_ with you. I'll be loving you and supporting you in every way that I can. The last thing you need to be worried about is me. You've got to do all the work, remember?"

I smiled happily and leaned forward. Edward knew what I wanted and he closed the distance, giving me a wonderful kiss.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and gave him a tight hug. "I really, really love you."

"That's good to know," he chuckled. "Because I love you even more."

"We definitely don't have time for _that_ argument," I laughed, letting him go.

"You stay put," Edward ordered. "As part of your spoiling, I will be opening and closing all doors."

"Right!" I said, with as much sarcasm as I could muster. "Because you weren't doing that _before_ you found out I was pregnant."

"Yes, but before, you still complained. Now, you can't." He got out of the car and closed his door before I could give my rebuttal. He opened my door, smiling down at me with my favorite crooked grin.

All I could do was smile back, lightly shaking my head at him. He took my hand in his, quickly kissing my wedding band, and led me into the café.

"Do you know what you want, love?" he asked, his hand once again resting on my stomach.

"Sierra Turkey Sandwich," I said, pointing it out on the menu board for him.

"Do you want all of those things on it?"

"Um…not the onions. Oh! And I want a lemonade."

"Okay. Go find us a table while I order."

"Edward, I can stand here with you."

"Bella, it is lunchtime for the people still working before the holidays. Just go find us a table and sit."

"Edward," I sighed, wanting to just stay by his side right now.

"Don't make me pull out the spoiling card again."

"Holy cow! You actually made a threat I'll listen to!" I laughed.

He glared at me and I lifted my hands in surrender.

"I'm going. Jeez!" I started walking towards the seating area when my eyes caught sight of the bakery section. Sitting there, on a little crystal serving tray, was the most delicious looking dessert I'd seen in a long time. I _had_ to have it. I walked back over to Edward and tugged at the corner of his shirt.

"You really are stubborn, you know that?" he chuckled. He wrapped me in his arms and kissed the top of my head.

"I'm not trying to be. I saw something I want."

He moved me away slightly, so he could see my face. "Say that sentence again." His smile was ridiculously large.

My hands immediately flew to my hips as my stubborn side set in. "What sentence?"

"You know the one," he goaded, with a big, cheesy grin on his perfect face.

There was no way I could stay mad with the way he was smiling at me. I wanted to laugh too much. My shoulders sagged and I mumbled the sentence to him. "I saw something I want."

"And what do you want, my love?"

"There's a brownie over there with caramel all over it."

Edward chuckled as he kissed my cheek. "Your torture is over. Go find us a table. I will be sure to get you a brownie."

I headed back over to the seating area and found us a nice, comfy booth. As I sat there, I let my mind wander over random things. I wondered how long I'd be able to keep teaching before the baby—by baby, I meant Edward—would force me to stop. My wonderful husband could be exceedingly overprotective of me at times; even more so than Emmett ever was.

When I'd the flu last month, I'd seen a very different side of Edward—one that I hoped never to see again. When I had first gotten sick, it had started out seeming like a regular cold, with the coughing and sneezing. I had decided to stay home alone, having called in sick to work. Edward had wanted to stay with me, but I'd made him go to work since I figured I would be in bed all day sleeping. Esme had gone to some social function for one of the charities she worked with, and Carlisle was at the hospital. I'd been fine for most of the day, sleeping on and off, but then the fever had come.

I hadn't been able to cool myself off with liquids and I didn't have the strength to get in the shower. Edward had come home that afternoon to find me shivering, but I kept refusing the blanket. He took my temperature and I swear he almost passed out. He wouldn't tell me how high it was; he just kept saying everything would be okay. He'd wrapped me up in a blanket, ignoring my protests of being too hot. He'd carried me down the three flights of stairs and out to the car. I didn't remember the ride, but I remembered him carrying me into the doctor's office later on.

When I'd woken up again a few hours later, I saw that I was hooked to an IV for fluids. Edward was pacing back and forth across the small room, unaware that I was awake. I watched him run his hands through his hair, again and again, as he stared at the tiles. I wondered if he was counting them. I had called out to him at that point, and the relief that had washed over his face at the sound of my voice, was unbelievable. That was the second time I'd seen him scared of something happening to me. The first time had been the night I moved into his parents' home. I still had no idea of what he had been thinking about, but he had suddenly told me he'd be lost without me, and the look of fear in his eyes had kept me from making any of the smart-aleck comments I usually would have made.

The clattering of the tray on the table pulled me from my thoughts, making me jump a little.

"Sorry, love. Didn't mean to startle you," Edward said, as he slid into his side of the booth.

"No problem."

"What were you thinking about so hard?"

"A little of this and that," I shrugged.

Edward took his sandwich and slid the tray toward me. "Care to elaborate?" he asked.

"Care to hand over that pickle," I challenged.

He chuckled as he dropped the pickle into my basket. "Now, what were you thinking about?"

I took a bite of pickle, using the time to arrange my thoughts and decide how best to phrase them. "I was just wondering how long you were going to allow me to continue teaching before you put your foot down and order me to stay home."

"Bella, you know I would only do something like that if it was necessary."

"I do know, Edward. Like I said, I was just wondering."

"Well, I guess it all depends on how far along you are. If you're right about the night, which I'm sure you are, then that would mean you are five or six weeks along. You should be able to safely teach next semester since the baby wouldn't be due until sometime in late July or early August."

"That doesn't sound bad at all."

"But just know it depends on whether or not you can keep your stress level down. Remember, I'm a professor, too, and I know what the workload is like."

"Darn! I knew I should have been an editor! I'm missing out on all that red ink!"

Edward shook his head at me, smiling. "Eat, Bella."

I took a bite of my sandwich, smiling happily the entire time. I'd never been one for change. I'd shied away from it, fearing all the ways life could get worse. All of those fears had nearly pushed Edward away in the beginning. But he'd stuck by me, showing me that change could be a good thing, and that it could make your life better. Edward had helped me to face all of my fears and he'd driven my nightmares away. There wasn't a man on the planet that could compare to my husband. I had a lot of fears about being pregnant and being a parent, but they were all dampened by the knowledge that I would never be alone in any of this. Edward would be right next to me, helping me in everyway.

After lunch was over, Edward took me to a park. We walked around slowly, enjoying the contrast between the warmth of the sun and the chill of the December wind.

"Guess we won't be snowball fighting this year," I chuckled.

"Yes, because you fought so well last year," he teased.

"Hey! It wasn't _my_ fault I got confused about who was on my team. You guys should not have switched sides halfway through the fight."

"Bella, no matter what side I'm on, I'm your husband. You really shouldn't pelt me with snow," Edward said, pretending to be serious.

"Yes, because you honored me as your wife by not hitting _me_ with snowballs," I shot back.

"It's only because I love you so, Mrs. Cullen," he chuckled, kissing my temple.

"Right back at you, Tutor-boy!"

"Please don't teach our baby to call me that," Edward groaned.

"Are you kidding me?" I cried. "That's _so_ going to be our baby's first word!"

Edward stopped walking and pulled me into a gentle embrace. "You are a cruel, cruel woman, Isabella Cullen. But I love you more than anything."

"You better! I am carrying your child after all."

"Yes, you are." His smile was beautiful and breathtaking as he stared down at me. There was no way to doubt the sincere happiness shining in his loving, green eyes.

"I'm so glad you're happy about this, Edward."

"Did you actually worry for a single second that I wouldn't be?"

I shrugged, not really knowing what I had thought his reaction would be.

"Bella, I know this wasn't something we'd talked about or planned for yet, but I had always assumed we would have our own little family one day. That day has come sooner than we expected, but it's a wonderful surprise."

"It really, truly is, Edward." I put my head on his chest, resting against him.

Edward put his hand against my cheek. "Let's get you home, love. You're cold."

"And you'll tell me about that plan you mentioned earlier?" I asked, smiling up at him.

"I'll do even better," he murmured, brushing his lips over mine. "I'll show you."

Had anyone said to me this morning that today would be the most amazing day of my life so far, I would have laughed at them. But right now, in this very second, I wanted to pinch myself to make sure I wasn't dreaming. My life had already been perfect before, having Edward as my husband and best friend. Now, we were going to have a baby together…Today was absolutely the most wonderful, unexpected, scary, exciting day I had ever had. And I had a feeling that it was only going to get better.

When we got home, everyone was in the living room, watching a movie. Edward led me right past them and up the stairs. I was amazed Alice hadn't attacked yet, as I kept expecting her to suddenly pop up in front of me, demanding a trip to the store for baby items. But if I was perfectly honest, I was a teeny bit excited to go to a baby store and look around. Not that I would agree to buy anything until we knew what we were having.

"Edward, do you want to know the sex of the baby or do you want to wait?" I asked, as he led me into our room.

He chuckled as he pulled me toward the bathroom. "If you don't mind, I would like to know. And it will be safer with Alice around. If we don't find out, she'll end up buying two of everything, and I know you won't like that." He leaned into the tub and started running water into it.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"I am fixing you a hot bath to warm you up from the cold air outside. Why don't you get ready to step in?"

He went into our room and came back, carrying something behind his back. I tilted my head, trying to figure out what he was up to.

"You're supposed to be getting undressed," he said, faking a scowl.

"Edward."

He chuckled at me and pulled his hand from behind his back. He was holding the book I'd been reading lately. "I thought you might enjoy reading while you soaked."

"You are so amazingly wonderful," I said, wrapping my arms around his neck.

He pulled my arms away and gave me a stern look. "Get in that tub, read your book, and don't get out until you are completely relaxed."

"Yes, sir," I laughed, giving him a playful salute.

He handed me my book and left the room. I smiled happily, thinking of all the little things he'd done today to show me he loved me, and to spoil me.

I turned the water off and put my book on the side of the tub. I grabbed a towel and set it near the tub for afterward. I slipped out of my clothing and into the deliciously hot water. I sunk low into the water, dunking my head for a brief moment. It was exquisite! I grabbed my towel, dried my hands and arms, picked up my book, and started enjoying my bath.

I had no idea how much time had passed. I only knew that the water had lost most of its heat and I had read two and a half chapters of my book. I climbed out of the tub and dried myself off. I stepped into our room to grab some clothes and saw that Edward had already laid out some clothes for me on the bed. He'd pulled out my blue flannel pajamas—my favorite set. I smiled wide, noticing how my cheeks were actually starting to hurt from all of the smiling I had been doing all day. I slipped on my clothes and headed off in search of my wonderful husband. I needed to thank him.

I made my way down the stairs, surprised that the living room was dark, except for a single lamp. I stopped walking and listened closely. It didn't seem like anyone was home. But then I picked up the sound of a pot clattering. I headed for the kitchen, wondering what was going on and where everyone had gone off to. I pushed open the swinging door and stopped in my tracks.

Edward was at the stove, stirring something. The noise I'd heard had been him dropping the top onto the counter. I could see it was still slightly moving from the vibrations caused when it was dropped. I looked over to my right and saw that the small kitchen table was draped in a white tablecloth and there were candles and roses on top of it.

I started blubbering like an idiot, my hands clutching each side of the door frame, holding me up. Edward spun around, and the spoon he was holding dripped some sort of red sauce onto the floor. I started crying harder, feeling bad for causing him to make a mess. He dropped the spoon back into the pot and ran over to me, pulling me into the comfort of his arms.

"What's wrong, love? What happened?" he asked, rubbing my back.

I shook my head, unable to calm down enough to explain it to him. Edward led me over to the table and got me to sit down in one of the chairs. He grabbed the bottom of the apron he was wearing and dried my tears. I sniffled a few more times, watching him watch me.

"What upset you so much?" he asked.

"I came in and I saw the table and I was so happy and touched by it that I started crying and then you turned, and the sauce was dripping, and I felt guilty that I was causing you to make a mess."

Edward laughed softly as he kissed the backs of my hands. "It's going to be a very interesting pregnancy, love. But please, don't feel guilty. I want you to be happy. I sent everyone out to dinner so that you and I could have a private celebration of our wonderful news. Now, there will be no tears during this candlelight dinner, my love. Only smiles. Okay?"

I nodded my head and whatever expression I had on my face caused Edward to laugh again. He cleaned up the floor, turned off the burners, and prepared our plates before bringing them over to the table. I took a deep breath, reveling in the heavenly smell of the spaghetti sauce. I could easily pick out the basil and oregano he'd put in.

When he came back to the table, he was carrying two wine glasses, both filled with milk. I lifted an eyebrow at him, wondering what he thought he was doing.

"It's important for you to drink lots of milk and to stay away from caffeine. If you have to give up certain things for our baby, then I'm going to give them up with you," he explained, as he put a glass in front of me.

I started tearing up again, but I blinked them back and choked down the sob. I had worried him enough for one day. "Thank you, Edward." I was pleased that I had managed to speak without my voice cracking.

"Anything for you, my beautiful wife." He leaned over and gave me a chaste kiss.

He had said that phrase to me many times in our life together, but something about the way he'd said it just now caught my attention. He meant every single word and he was prepared to prove it again and again. No matter how many times I broke down in happy tears over his spoiling, it wouldn't deter him in the least. Edward was committed to taking full advantage of his freedom to spoil me. I didn't know if I should be happy or scared by that knowledge. For now, I decided it was best to sit back and enjoy the wonderful meal my perfect husband had made for me. This was definitely an interesting start to the spoiling.

* * *

Okay. Let's see a show of virtual hands...Who wants to be spoiled by Edward? LOL!!


	3. Peace with Emmett

**DISCLAIMER:** The characters do not belong to me…they are all the creation of the wonderful Stephenie Meyer.

**Edward's POV**

I pulled out the leather journal Bella had given me for my birthday. It had been sitting in my dresser drawer, untouched. She'd bought it for me to jot down musical ideas as they came to me, but I'd never found the time to actually put it into my briefcase. Today, though, I decided I had a better use for this journal.

I checked the time and was more than a little annoyed to see it would be at least another two hours before Alice returned my wife to me. Alice had begged and pleaded to both Bella and me for a short, four hour shopping trip. Bella had given into Alice's pleading eyes, and I was simply unable to deny my beautiful wife.

I sat on the sofa, holding the journal against my knee, thinking about how I wanted to start this, and what I hoped it would be when I was done. I decided I wanted to document Bella's pregnancy, to capture all of the moments she wouldn't even think were big at the time. And I wanted to write down any important conversations she and I would have regarding our baby's future. I also wanted the journal to show our baby his mother through my eyes. Bella never saw herself clearly and if she were to document the pregnancy, she would never mention anything personal about herself or the changes she was going through.

I hoped Bella would like this journal. I planned to continue to write in it through the baby's first birthday, and then give it to Bella on that day. She had always preferred home-made gifts over purchased ones and I knew she would always treasure this journal. I clicked the tip of the pen and started writing.

_It's the day before Christmas Eve and we've only known about you for a little over a day now. I want to start off by telling you that you are going to have the most wonderful, loving, attentive mother that ever existed. I will also warn you that you won't be able to get away with much, as she's one of the most observant people on the planet._

_I met her at a restaurant. I only went because your Uncle Emmett promised your mother might bite someone. As she's fond of telling me, she's not always a lady. The first thing I noticed about your mother was her eyes. They are chocolate brown and often seem deep enough to drown in. She can look at you and make you feel as though she's looking right through your skin and bones, deep into your soul. You will find out quickly that you can't lie while looking into those eyes._

_You should also know that she has a wonderful, but quirky, sense of humor. She likes to say random things just to see how you'll react. She's also very fond of nicknames, so cross your fingers for a good one. I'm sure if she has her way, one of your first words will be her preferred nickname for me. I'm still hoping to somehow convince her to retire the name._

_Your mother can be very stubborn when she wants to be. If you ever see her put her hands on her hips and stick out her chin, save yourself a lot of time and trouble, and just agree with her. Once she takes that pose, you'll never win; _I've_ even lost many times to it._

_I feel the need to warn you about her taste in music. While she does like many of the bands I do, she is also a fan of country music. I will try to limit your exposure to it, but I make no guarantees. I can't even save myself all of the time. If she ever sings to you or plays her guitar, feel blessed. She is so much more talented than she realizes, and when she sings, no angel in heaven can match her._

_Your mother has had a rough life. She lost her parents when she was a teenager and it broke her gentle heart. She was extremely afraid to let me get close to her, and even after she told me she loved me, she still kept her distance at times. It took her a long time to trust me completely, to trust in our love, and the future I was offering her. But when she finally let me into her heart, I was able to help her heal._

_There is nothing greater in this life than your mother's unconditional love, so be sure to respect it and treasure it. I have a feeling your mother will be the disciplinarian out of the two of us, but if I ever see or hear you disrespect her, you will find out just how capable I am of assuming that role. This will only be an idle threat, as I'm sure you will end up with the same loving heart that your mother possesses._

_You will probably hear a lot of stories about your Grandpa Charlie and your Grandma Renée. Listen closely to them and enjoy them. They were wonderful parents to your mother and very smart people. I don't know where they went wrong with your Uncle Emmett, though. I'm only kidding. Your uncle is a good man and will probably be your favorite thing to play with._

_I'm sure you're wondering why I haven't mentioned anything about myself yet. I'm saving my story for another page. Just know that your mother makes me the man I long to be and that without her, I am nothing. Whatever type of father I become, I'm sure I will owe it all to the gentle love and unending patience your mother showers me with._

_We are excited to know you are on your way and we can't wait to hold you close and share our love with you._

I clicked the pen and closed the journal, smiling at all of the wonderful memories that had come to mind as I wrote that entry. I started looking around the room for a good place to put the journal so Bella wouldn't accidentally find it. I decided to put it in the drawer of my nightstand, since I knew Bella never went in there.

I headed downstairs to see what Emmett and Jasper were up to, and I wasn't surprised to find them playing video games and taunting each other. It was nice to have them home for the holidays.

"You should have picked a car with more horsepower, Jazz. There's no way you're going to catch up to me now," Emmett chuckled.

"My car has better traction than yours. I'll catch up in a few when you wipe out on the big curve," Jasper said with confidence.

"I play winner," I announced, sitting down next to them.

"That'll be me," Jasper replied.

Emmett's car came up to the curve Jasper was talking about and slammed into the wall, spiraling into a crazy spin that left his car facing the wrong direction. Jasper and I laughed, while Emmett cursed.

"Hurry up and turn around you stupid car," Emmett growled, punching the buttons on the controller with more force than necessary.

"Bye, bye," Jasper said, as his car sped past Emmett's.

"Damn it!" Emmett roared.

"Aren't you supposed to be banned from naughty words?" I teased.

"Lily's at the mall with her mother and aunts. I can say whatever I want," Emmett replied.

"Yes, but it would be easier if you stopped using the words altogether," Jasper commented.

"Yeah, then you wouldn't have to worry about slipping up in front of Lily," I added.

"Whatever," Emmett sighed. He handed me his controller. "Kick Jasper's butt."

"See! It wasn't so bad to substitute a less vulgar word," I joked, brushing my shoulder against Emmett's.

"Just shut up and race, Edward," Emmett said.

"I am," I chuckled, as Jasper started up a new race for us.

"Road rally okay?" Jasper asked.

"Perfect. I like the sliding on that track," I replied.

"Speaking of sliding and tracks…How do you figure my sister and you are going to stay on course with your plans, now that you've knocked her up?" Emmett asked angrily.

"First of all, can you not refer to it in a way that makes it sound like it's something horrible? Bella and I are very happy about our baby," I informed Emmett. "Secondly, what plans are you referring to specifically?"

"Bella said you guys were going to get a house of your own soon," Emmett replied.

"I still plan to do that for her. It might just get delayed a little. I don't want Bella rushing back to work just because of a house, Emmett. I'd rather be here for another six months or a year and allow her to be home with our baby," I told him.

Emmett snorted, but didn't say anything more.

"Emmett, I'm sensing a little anger here," Jasper noted.

"What are you upset about Emmett?" I asked him, putting down the controller.

Jasper turned off the game and television; he wanted to know what was going on just as much as I did.

"I just don't think she needs to be pregnant at her age," Emmett said.

"Emmett, you can't be serious," Jasper said, shaking his head. "She's older than any of our parents were when they had their first child. Twenty-three is not that young."

"It's not that so much. She just got out of college and she was really getting into teaching, and now she's going to have to take time off from that," Emmett explained.

"Emmett, Bella is really happy about our baby. Please don't say anything like this to her. She thinks you're happy about it and it'll crush her to know you're upset," I begged him.

"I'm not completely stupid, Edward," Emmett snapped. "She was my little sister long before she was ever your wife, or even your friend for that matter. I know how to handle her."

"Emmett, Bella is an adult! She doesn't need to be _handled_. She just needs you to love her and to support her. When are you going to realize she's not a kid?" I yelled.

Emmett jumped up from the sofa and I followed right after while Jasper jumped in-between us.

"Both of you calm down and back away right now," Jasper ordered.

I went over to the loveseat to put a little extra distance between the two of us. Emmett and I had gotten into a couple of heated arguments over the last year about him still treating Bella as if she was a teenager. When he acted that way, it always ended up with Bella feeling hurt and crying.

"Emmett, you owe Edward an apology," Jasper told him.

"_Me_? For what? He's the idiot who got my sister pregnant!" Emmett yelled.

"Emmett, would you listen to how stupid you sound?" Jasper snapped. "It takes two people to get pregnant and I seriously doubt Edward would breathe toward Bella if she didn't want him to. I understand where you're coming from, and you know I do. It was hard as hell to step aside and start letting you make decisions with Rosalie, but I did it for her because I knew it was what she really wanted. You still haven't stepped aside from Bella. And I think now would be the perfect time. You can't parent a parent, Emmett, and that's what Bella is now."

We were all quiet for a long time, just looking at each other and thinking things over. I was glad Emmett had waited for Bella to leave before blowing up. She didn't need to see this or hear it; it would only hurt her.

I thought it might be best to give Emmett time to cool down. "I'm going to take a drive. Let Bella know I've got my cell if she gets home before I do," I said.

I left the house, not waiting for a reply. I got in the Volvo and headed out to the main road. I pulled out my cell and called the one person I knew would be able to give me some perspective on how to deal with Emmett.

"Hello?" she answered.

"Hi, mom. I was hoping you'd be done with your meeting and would want to meet me for coffee," I said.

"Edward, what's wrong?"

"I could use a friendly ear and some advice."

"Where would you like to meet?"

"How about the little coffee shop near my college?"

"Sounds perfect, Edward. I'll see you in about twenty minutes."

"Thank you." I hung up the phone and headed in that direction.

My mom had timing almost as impeccable as Alice's. She showed up with two minutes to spare. She gave me a quick hug and a kiss before settling into the booth with me. I'd already ordered the coffee for us, so we just sat there quietly, sipping at the coffee for a few minutes.

"Edward, what happened?" she asked, holding her cup in both of her hands.

I leaned back against the booth, running my hand through my hair. "Emmett sort of blew up at me. He's worried Bella's life is going to be ruined because she's pregnant. I guess he's worried she won't go back to teaching."

"That's her decision to make, not his. There are thousands of reasons why women decide to stay home with their babies. I stayed home with Alice and you, and I've never regretted a day of it. I'm very proud of the fact that I finished college and hold a degree, but it can't hold a candle to the pride and joy I feel in having been able to watch your sister and you grow and learn everyday."

"Why does he suddenly think I won't have Bella's best interest at heart? Does he think I would force her to stay home or something?"

"I'm not sure, Edward. You should ask him that."

I shook my head slightly. "It's been more difficult to talk to him lately. Our disagreements over Bella are less frequent, but they also seem to be more heated. It very nearly came to blows this morning."

"Edward!"

"It didn't!" I assured her. "Jasper was there to calm things down. And I doubt I really would have done anything even if Emmett had. It would have upset Bella and you know I can't do anything to hurt her."

"This situation with Emmett and you needs to be resolved right away. I will not let a strain between the two of you stress Bella out. You march yourself home this instant and work things out with Emmett."

"Tell me how. That's why I asked you to meet me."

"The two of you need to have a real conversation. He needs to tell you exactly what his fears are regarding the pregnancy, and you need to address them all. Edward, I know this is hard and this is not a problem you would normally have to face, but with Emmett having raised Bella, it makes it complicated."

"I know. I try to keep that in mind at all times. I do. But if Bella found out he was upset about our baby, it would really hurt her. I can't let him do that to her."

"Then go home and talk to him."

I nodded my head as I stared at my coffee cup. My mother always made everything sound so simple and easy. Maybe I really was over-thinking the situation with Emmett.

"Edward, if you talk calmly to Emmett and keep your temper in check, I'm sure the two of you can work things out. I know it must be frustrating for you to be her husband and to feel like you have to answer to her brother, but Emmett really does love her and wants only the best for her."

"But I want the same thing."

"Then find a way to give her the best together." She patted my hand and smiled at me. "Now go home and work things out with Emmett."

I slid out of the booth and kissed her cheek. I headed home, thinking about what she had said and hoping Emmett would be calmer. He was hard to talk to when he was upset.

When I got home, I was thankful to see the girls were still out. Jasper was stretched out on the sofa, watching television. He lifted an arm and pointed toward the stairs without saying a word. I followed his silent directions and found Emmett in the guest room Rose and he shared each time they visited.

"Do you have a minute?" I asked.

He was tossing one of Lily's stuffed animals between his hands. "Sure."

"Emmett, I don't want us to fight. This should really be a happy time for us all. It's the holidays, for one. For another, you're going to be an uncle; the favorite one to play with, I'm sure."

"Edward, I didn't mean to make it sound like I'm not happy for you guys. I really am. It's a miracle to have a baby and see little pieces of yourself in them. I look at Lily and I know she's the best thing I've ever done with my life. I really do want Bella and you to know that feeling."

"So why did you get so upset? What are you worried about?"

"I want Bella to be really, truly happy. Not just sort-of happy, or things-could-always-be-worse happy, but a hundred-percent happy."

"As far as I know, she is."

"She _was_. But now she's pregnant. You can't tell me you think she's going to want to keep living with your parents now that she's going to be a mom."

"We've already been talking about getting a place of our own before we found out about our baby. We've been saving almost all of our salaries and we've even looked at a few places so we'll know what kind of house we want. Our baby won't completely derail those plans, Emmett. We just might have to postpone them for a little while."

"That sounds reasonable. You know what, though, I want to help. Why don't you and I find a realtor to help me sell the old homestead? It's probably about time I did that, and I could split the money with Bella, and then you guys wouldn't have to wait on getting a house," Emmett offered.

"Are you sure Bella would be okay with you selling it?"

"She hasn't been back there since the night you two ran off and got married, so I don't see where it would be a problem."

"Actually, she has been back. We go over once a month to clean and air out the house. She can't stand the thought of letting it fall to pieces. But I can imagine her being happy to see a family living in it again."

"Would you be up to helping me out if the realtor says we need to do some repairs or slap some paint on it?"

"Of course, Emmett."

He sighed and looked at me for a minute. "Edward, I'm sorry. I thought about what Jasper said and he's right. I've never stepped aside and let Bella and you make your own choices together without my two cents. I'm sorry for all the times I stepped in and interfered when I shouldn't have."

"It's okay. I understand it must be hard for you to let her go after being responsible for her for so long. I hope you know I would never do anything that would harm Bella in anyway."

"Except knocking her up," Emmett chuckled, breaking up the earlier tension. "Birth hurts like a bitch, at least that's what Rose said."

I laughed with him, slightly shaking my head. Emmett couldn't help but find a way to turn a serious conversation into a joke. It was one of the things we all loved about him.

"Husbands! We're home!" Rose called from downstairs.

Emmett and I both started heading for the door. He pushed me out of the way and ran out of the room laughing. I shook my head as I followed after him. He was already hugging Rose and kissing Lily by the time I made it down the stairs.

Bella and Alice had their heads together over a bag, talking in low whispers, and I could see from the way they were both slightly bouncing, that they were very excited about something. "Hmm. My wife and sister peeking into a bag and keeping their voices low. What are you two sneaky ladies up to?" I asked.

Bella and Alice giggled as they hugged each other. I just stood there, watching them, growing more suspicious. Bella took the bag from Alice and grabbed my hand. "Follow me," she said.

"To the ends of the Earth and back again, beautiful," I told her.

She laughed as she led me up the stairs and to our room. She pulled me over to the sofa and playfully pushed me down onto it. She crawled into my lap so that she was facing me and gave me a big smile.

"Did you enjoy your shopping trip with Alice?" I asked, kissing her cheek.

"Yes, actually, it was a lot of fun. I never knew there were so many things for babies. And amazingly enough, I convinced Alice to leave them all in the store."

"So what's in the bag?"

"A gift for you," she said as she handed me the bag. "I hope you like it."

"It's from you so I'm positive I will love it." I opened the bag and moved the tissue paper, revealing a book. I pulled it out, read the title, and started laughing.

Bella took the book from me and flipped to the table of contents. "Look at all the great stuff it has in here, Edward. I know you can't really go by a book or anything, but I just thought it would be fun to read it together and then we can compare our experiences to the book. Besides, I really liked the title."

I took the book from her and read the title out loud. "_The Everything Father-To-Be Book: A Survival Guide for Men_. Yes, Bella, that is an interesting title. It sort of makes it sound like pregnancy is akin to a jungle safari."

"I've always told you that you would make a good lion," she chuckled.

I put the book down and took her into my arms. "I'd make a horrible lion. I'd never be able to let you go off on your own and do the hunting. We'd be the only lion pride where the male did the hunting."

"That sounds just like you," she sighed, snuggling further against me.

Bella lapsed into silence, and there was no telling what she was thinking. Normally, I would have asked, but for now, I was just happy to have her home and in my arms. I missed her terribly every time she left my sight. I loved her so completely that when she was away, I felt like part of myself was missing. I couldn't even imagine what it would be like for me to leave her _and_ our baby. I found myself smiling goofily after that last thought, daydreaming about my Bella with a perfectly round tummy.

I sighed, letting go of that daydream. "I hope Alice didn't tire you out too much, love. I was hoping you would feel up to taking a ride with me."

She didn't answer so I leaned sideways to see her face, surprised to find that she was fast asleep. I carefully lifted her and laid her in our bed. I took off her shoes and pulled the covers up to her waist. She never once stirred, letting me know just how tired she really was. She had probably been ready to come home after that first hour, but was too selfless to tell that to an excited Alice and Rosalie.

I turned out the light and quietly left the room, wanting to find my pixie sister and set her straight about a few things. I found Alice sitting on the living room floor with a sketch pad in her hands and colored pencils spread out all around her.

"What are you doing now?" I asked, sitting down across from her.

"Planning the nursery. Bella loves blue and green, so I'm coming up with schemes for a boy and a girl. I'll finalize the plans once we know exactly what you guys are having," Alice explained.

"Ali, you know I love you and I'm glad you're so excited, but you have got to slow down for Bella's sake."

"Where is Bella?"

"Passed out, no thanks to you. She can't be dragged all around stores for hours on end. She could barely handle it before, and now that her body is working to support two lives—"

"Edward, I swear to you that we took tons of breaks. And that I didn't pout a single time when Bella said she needed to sit."

"Just promise me that you won't whisk her away for shopping again until she asks to go."

Alice lifted an eyebrow at me and frowned.

"She's going to ask you, Alice. And if she doesn't, I will. Just let her get used to the idea and relax a bit. I can't stand to see her so tired, especially not so soon after—"

"Edward," Alice sighed, putting her little hand on top of mine. "I know that seeing her sick scared you badly, but you can't live your life worrying something will happen to her. Neither of you can be happy that way. She's perfectly healthy, just tired. And like you said, once she gets used to the changes in her body, she'll adjust and she won't be so tired."

"Alice is right," Rosalie assured me. "I went through the same thing when I was pregnant with Lily. Bella will have times when she's extremely tired, and then she'll be overly active for a bit."

"Just wait until you get to the overly horny stage," Emmett chuckled. "That was my favorite part."

Rosalie glared at him. "Excuse me?"

"Baby, every stage of your pregnancy was my favorite part," he quickly corrected. "In fact, why don't we go upstairs and see if we can't give Lily a little brother or sister?"

"No way, Emmett Swan. I already told you that I do not want to have another baby until Lily is at least in kindergarten. I want her to be old enough to help so that she never feels left out or jealous," Rose told him.

"Did you like your book?" Alice asked, trying to steer the conversation to safer waters.

"Yes," I chuckled. "Only Bella would get me a 'survival guide' to fatherhood."

"She doesn't even think you need it," Alice giggled. "She just liked the title too much to pass it up."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"She's convinced you will be the perfect father and you will always be trying to help her be a decent mother."

"My wife is so silly some days," I chuckled. "She's got that completely backwards. She's so great with Lily and I'm the one always asking questions and feeling like a goof."

"She wouldn't be our Bella if she wasn't over-thinking something," Alice said with a smile.

I knew just how right those words were. The night we had gotten married was the happiest of my life, but the hours before it had been the saddest. I had come home to find Bella's ring and a note saying that she had left me for my own good. She had accidentally overheard a conversation between my parents and in true Bella fashion, she had thought too much about it, panicked, and tried to leave me for my own good. But I had chased after her, refusing to let her get away from me. And what had started out so horribly had ended in the most perfect night of my life. I had married the woman of my dreams and made her mine in every way. And now, she was growing our child inside of her, giving us both the most special gift we could ever hope to receive. I would do all I could to keep her from getting worried and over-thinking this pregnancy…I was going to need _lots_ of distractions.

* * *

Yeah! Another chapter for you lovely readers. Edward and distractions? Sounds like fun!! Lucky Bella!!

And if you haven't heard, LLC is up for a Twilight Award, along with a lot of other great stories. Go check them out. The link is on my profile page.


	4. Christmas Eve Breakfast

**DISCLAIMER:** The characters do not belong to me…they are all the creation of the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. All are human.

**Bella's POV**

"Bella?" A simple word from an angel's voice, as impossible to ignore this morning as it was every morning, and yet, I wanted to remain asleep. I was having a very nice dream and I wasn't willing to let go of it just yet.

"Isabella, love?" That voice again! So soft and sweet, calling out to me.

I couldn't ignore it, and come to think of it, I couldn't remember why I had wanted to in the first place. No dream could compare to the reality of my husband, my Edward.

"Come on, Bella. It's time to get up," Edward insisted. "Angela and Ben will be here before long."

I rolled onto my back and opened my eyes, instantly finding his gorgeous, emerald eyes. "Good morning, Edward."

"Good morning, my love," he chuckled, brushing my hair away from my face. He smiled, lifted my shirt, and kissed my skin just below my belly button. "Good morning to you, too, baby."

I giggled just as much from the way his lips tickled my skin, as I did from the words he'd spoken.

"Why did that make you laugh?" he asked, wrapping me up in his strong arms.

"For one, it tickled. For another, it's amazing to have you so excited and smiling like a loon." I sighed happily, snuggling against him a little more. "Are you sure we can't stay like this all day?"

"As wonderful as that sounds, I'm afraid not. Esme is making your favorite chocolate chip pancakes as we speak, and Carlisle is very excited about the party we are going to later on."

"I love Esme and her pancakes," I sighed.

"She loves you, too," he chuckled.

I rested quietly in his arms for a few seconds, letting my brain catch up with the rest of me. "We get to tell Angela and Ben our news," I squealed, suddenly getting very excited about the day ahead.

Edward kissed my ear and rested his head against mine. "I'm sure they're going to be very happy for us."

All of a sudden, I felt like my stomach was doing some sort of a weird flip. I knew what this was and what was going to come next. "Edward, I need to go."

"One more minute," he sighed.

I pushed on his arm and wiggled away from him. "Let go now or you will have to clean the bed, and possibly the floor," I yelled.

His arms were gone in an instant and I was racing for the bathroom. I made it just in time and Edward was right behind me, holding up my hair and gently rubbing my back.

After a few minutes had passed, I felt certain that I was done being sick for the morning. Edward suggested that I take a shower, and I willingly listened to him. The hot water felt wonderful and helped me to forget all about being sick earlier.

I stepped out of the shower and started drying off, watching Edward as he brushed his teeth. "So I guess we can't play 'one more minute' anymore," I chuckled.

He rinsed out his mouth and turned, smiling brightly at me. "No, I suppose it's safer to let you go immediately for now."

"But you can always wrap me up again as soon as it's over."

Edward walked forward and took me into his arms. "That is an offer I will gladly take you up on, again and again, Bella."

I sighed and rested my head against his chest. "I love it when we have a slow morning and we can take our time getting ready."

"Well, then, I'll have to start setting the alarm for an earlier time so that every morning can be slow."

"Except weekends. You are still banned from setting the alarm on the weekend."

"Agreed," he laughed, placing a kiss on the top of my head. He sighed and I could feel his reluctance to let me go as he removed his arms. "We need to get ready."

I nodded my head and followed him into our room. I looked through my closet, searching for something that looked comfortable to wear, but would also look very nice for the day ahead. After breakfast, we would all be going over to a party at the house of one of Carlisle's colleagues.

Edward already had his black slacks on and had picked his shirt for the day, an emerald green button-up that matched his eyes perfectly. I was immediately envious of how easily he was able to get dressed, while I just kept staring at the closet, waiting for some sort of inspiration to strike and tell me what to wear. I knew it was irrational, but I was really mad that he could get dressed with very little effort.

"Do you want me to get Alice?" he asked, hugging me from behind and gently rubbing my stomach. "You seem to be having trouble on your own."

I suppressed that very unnatural urge to snap at him and leaned further into him instead. "I don't know what's wrong with me, but everything I look at, I feel like I'll be trapped in it."

"Let me get Alice. I'm sure she'll find the perfect thing for you."

"Okay," I sighed, standing up straight so he could let me go. He kissed my ear and was gone.

Alice's delighted squeal was heard throughout the house, I'm sure, and I caught myself smiling at the sound of it. It wasn't long before she was bursting into the room, dragging poor Edward behind her.

"Bella, I have the perfect outfit for you," she chirped. She let go of Edward, ran over, and hugged me. "I'm so glad you're letting me help."

"It was either that, or stand here in front of the closet all day," I said.

Alice pouted and I sighed, feeling bad for having hurt her feelings.

"I didn't mean it like that. I feel kind of off, that's all. I would love it if you would help me out, and find me something to wear," I told her.

Alice's pout immediately disappeared and was replaced with a wide grin. "You are going to love this, Bella. I had a feeling about the shirt Edward would pick to wear today," she said, as she dug at the far end of the closet. She came back out, holding a beautiful emerald green silk dress in one hand, and a comfortable looking black sweater in the other. "You guys are going to match and look so perfect together!" Alice squealed.

I reached out and touched the dress, amazed at the smooth texture. "Alice, it's so beautiful. When did you get this?"

Alice spoke quickly, rushing her words together, and making it almost impossible to know what she was saying…Unless, of course, you knew her very well. "I-bought-it-yesterday-when-I-had-Rose-take-you-to-the-bookstore."

"That's where you went?" I asked, trying to give her a glare, but secretly loving the dress.

"Yes, and I can tell from the shine in your eyes that you love it and I am forgiven," Alice said as she handed me the hangers. "Now get your prego-self dressed and get downstairs."

"Alice, you are not allowed to call me that," I yelled, my cheeks burning red with anger.

"Sorry," Alice said, lifting her hands in surrender. "I didn't mean anything by it, Bella."

"No, I'm sorry, Alice," I sighed. "I must just be a little grumpy. I haven't been up all that long and then the clothes thing."

"It's okay, Bella," Alice assured me. "Now, please get your mother-to-be self downstairs." She danced out of the room, not waiting for any further comments from me.

"You're going to look gorgeous in that," Edward said, reminding me that he had been here the whole time.

"I really do like it, but you can't tell Alice I said that," I told him, as I picked out my undergarments.

"I think she already knows, Bella. The look on your face when you saw the dress told her."

"She will use that knowledge against me," I sighed, as I walked into the bathroom.

"I'll do the best I can to protect you from the pixie," Edward promised, trying not to laugh.

"You really are a wonderful husband," I told him.

I put on my undergarments and handled my messy hair. I ended up just brushing it out and then clipping some of it at the back. I purposefully put on the dress and sweater with my back to the mirror, not wanting to see myself until I was completely done. I smoothed out the bottom of the dress one more time before turning to face the mirror. What I saw reflected back at me, made me gasp.

It also made Edward rush into the bathroom. "Bella, are you okay?" he asked, looking worried.

"I'm fine. Sorry to have scared you," I chuckled, taking his hand and pulling him closer to me. "I was just surprised."

"By what?"

"By this," I said, waving a hand in front of the dress. "By _me_. I look really pretty in this."

"No, love. 'Pretty' is too weak of a word. You look absolutely stunning." He smiled mischievously at me. "Come on," he said, tugging on my hand gently.

"Where are we going?" I asked, letting him lead me out of our room.

"I can't wait to show you off to everyone."

"Don't you ever get tired of parading me around like I'm some super model?"

"Beauty like yours should be shared with the world, my dear Isabella," he whispered into my ear, causing me to shiver. He noticed my reaction and chuckled.

When we entered the living room, our family was standing near the door, greeting Angela and Ben. Edward and I stood back for a minute, smiling and watching over our family and friends. We were very lucky to have so many wonderful people in our life.

Angela noticed me and squealed. "Bella," she cried, as she ran to me and hugged me. "I can't believe it's been nearly a month since the last time I saw you."

"That's what happens when you leave college and start a career in the real world," I laughed. "Speaking of which, how are you enjoying your job?"

"We can talk about work later," Angela said, brushing off the topic with a wave of her hand. "I want to talk about you! You look so happy and you're glowing!"

"Thanks, Ange. Love how you're making me feel right now. I must have looked awful before," I teased.

"Bella, you know what I mean. And I _love_ the dress. Is it from Alice?" Angela asked.

"Aren't all of my clothes from Alice?" I laughed.

"Except for the jeans and sweats!" Alice announced. "But I'm slowly removing those from her wardrobe!"

"Leave my clothes alone, Alice Cullen," I fussed.

"Alice, do _not_ upset Bella," Edward warned.

"Protective much?" Alice asked with a huge smirk.

I glared at her, not wanting my news to just be a slip of the tongue. I was excited to get to tell Angela myself. She and I had been friends for years and I knew she would be thrilled for me. She would also be hurt if she felt like she was the last to know. Proximity was the only reason she didn't already know about the baby.

"Breakfast is ready," Esme called. "Let's all head into the dining room."

We all moved into the large room and took our seats at the long cherry wood table. I sat down with Edward on my left and Angela on my right.

"I have been dreaming about your pancakes, Mrs. Cullen," Ben said.

"That's lovely to hear," Esme chuckled. "I hope they live up to your expectations."

"I'm sure they'll be even better," Ben replied.

Once all of the platters had been passed around and everyone had a plate, we started eating and talking between bites. I was so excited—and extremely nervous—to tell Angela and Ben about the baby. I was still trying to figure out how to approach the subject, when Angela did it for me.

"Bells, since when do you drink milk in the morning? You've been an O.J. girl for as long as I've known you," Angela commented.

"Well, I was actually just trying to think of how to tell you, and I guess this is as good a way as any," I said, stopping to take a deep breath. "I'm drinking milk because I need to." I took her hands in mine and smiled happily, thinking of the words I was getting ready to say. "Edward and I are going to have a baby."

"Oh, my God!" Angela cried, pulling me into a hug. "Oh, my God! When did you find out? How far along are you?"

I laughed, feeling relieved that she was happy for us, not that I doubted her—Angela had always been one hundred percent supportive of me. "We found out I'm pregnant two days ago, but we won't know how far along I am until next Friday."

"You've known for two whole days and you're _just_ telling me?" Angela chided.

"I didn't want to tell you over the phone," I shrugged.

"I can understand that." Angela's smile returned full force. "I'm so happy for you, Bella! And you, too, Edward."

"Thank you, Angela," Edward chuckled.

"Congratulations, guys," Ben told us.

"Thanks, Ben," I replied.

"I take it everyone else already knew since I am the only one squealing?" Angela laughed.

"Yeah, well, Edward sort of screamed it out across the house the other day," I chuckled. "You would have laughed your butt off if you'd seen his face."

"Was he smiling that goofy grin like when you two got married?" Angela asked.

"That's the one, only bigger," I replied.

"How many times has Alice made you go shopping so far?" Angela giggled.

"Only once," Alice pouted. "And she didn't even let me buy anything."

"But I did promise you that we will go for real after we know the sex of the baby," I reminded Alice.

"Yes, and before then, Rose, Angela, Esme, and I get to take you shopping for maternity clothes," Alice said, clapping her hands together.

"But not until after the holidays are over," Edward commanded.

I turned and smiled up at him. "Thank you, Honey."

He leaned down and gave me a quick kiss on the lips. "You're welcome, Love."

"I can't wait to find out if I'm having a nephew or a niece," Emmett announced. "I love Lily to death, but I would really like to have a buddy to wrestle with."

"Em, you do realize you can't actually wrestle with our baby, right?" I asked, putting a protective hand over my stomach.

"I didn't mean it in that sense, Squirt! Have _some_ faith in me," Emmett said, rolling his eyes at me.

"This is so exciting," Angela squealed. "I can't believe you're having a baby!"

"That's like the fifth time this morning that you have squealed," I laughed.

"I'm just so happy for you, Bella. You deserve to have a wonderful family of your own, after everything you've been through," Angela said, leaning her head against mine.

"Edward says he thinks my parents know and are proud," I whispered to her.

"As I've often told you, Edward is a smart man," she replied, patting my hand.

"What's with the whispering?" Alice demanded. "You better not be planning on any shopping without me."

"I would never shop without my favorite pixie," I said, smiling at her.

"Well, this certainly explains why you look happy and are glowing," Angela chuckled. She looked up at Esme. "Carlisle and you must be so excited."

"We are, Dear," Esme said, patting Edward's hand. "It's very exciting to know we'll soon have two wonderful grandchildren, and Lily will have a little cousin to play with."

At the mention of her name, Lily started to bang her spoon on her highchair tray.

"I think Lily likes that idea," Rose laughed, placing a kiss on her baby girl's forehead.

"Rose, she looks so much like you, and those curls of hers are gorgeous," Angela said.

"Thank you, Angela," Rose replied, smiling. "Most people tell me how much she looks like Emmett."

"She certainly has his hair, but her face is all yours," Angela said.

"She'll definitely break some hearts when she gets older," Ben chuckled.

Emmett stiffened in his seat and sat up straighter. "She's not allowed near boys."

We all laughed at him and he frowned.

"I'm not kidding! I know how boys think. I was one of them," Emmett fussed.

"Emmett, you've got about twelve years before you need to worry about that," Edward chuckled.

"Laugh now, buddy," Emmett said, pointing a finger at Edward. "Because I bet you'll be ten times worse than me if you have a little girl."

"How do you figure that?" Edward asked.

"You know how to be a gentleman and you're going to expect any boy coming near your daughter to be that way, but I've got news for you. Those boys…they're going to be just like _me_," Emmett explained.

The look of horror on Edward's face would have been funny if I didn't understand exactly what Emmett had been saying. While my brother had always been respectful to his dates, he'd never made it a secret that he wasn't looking for more than a good time; not until he met Rosalie anyway.

"So we're hoping for a boy, then?" I asked Edward, rubbing his shoulder.

He looked at me, his face extremely serious, as he nodded his head. We all started laughing again. Poor Edward had, once again, been left terrified by my big brother. I might be pregnant, and my life might be headed for some enormous changes, but it was good to know that some things would never change.

I titled my head toward him and he smiled wide before giving me a gentle kiss. "I love you, Edward."

"I love you, too, Bella," he replied before kissing me once more.

"So," Angela chirped, putting her hand on my arm.

I turned toward her, finding myself mirroring the excited smile on her face. "So."

"Do you want a boy or a girl?" she asked.

"I'm just amazed to pregnant at all."

"Are you looking forward to getting to eat whatever you want when you want?"

"No. I don't want to get huge," I said, my nose crinkling up at the idea of being a whale.

"Bella, embrace your cravings," Rosalie chuckled. "The baby weight will come off."

"Listen to her, Bella," Emmett instructed. "You need to be more worried about eating enough for the baby to be healthy, than about what size your clothes are."

"It took me a little while to get over that initial panic about the rising numbers on the scale, but once I gave up on worrying about it, my pregnancy was a lot more fun. Except for right at the end," Rose said.

"What was wrong with the end?" I asked, slightly worried about her answer.

"That last month just about kills you, with the swollen feet, swollen stomach, and lack of real sleep. No position is comfortable and it's nearly impossible to get up on your own," Rose explained. She took Lily out of her highchair and snuggled the little girl close to her chest. "But once they put that baby into your arms, you know it was worth every second of being uncomfortable."

Lily laughed and put her hand over Rose's lips, causing all of us to chuckle at the cute sight. Rose laughed and then kissed each of her baby's fingers.

"Give me my princess," Emmett ordered, wiggling his hands toward his daughter.

Rose chuckled as she handed over their daughter. "Go see your daddy."

"Daddy, daddy, daddy, daddy," Lily chanted, smacking her little hands against Emmett's cheeks.

He laughed loudly before covering her little face with kisses. "My princess."

"Amazing what a baby does for the bear's attitude," Alice chirped.

"Watch it, Pixie," Emmett warned, looking over the top of Lily's head.

"Don't talk to _me_ that way," she said with a wicked smile. "I'll predict your next baby as a girl, too."

The look of fear on Emmett's face was priceless, causing us all to laugh once again. This was by far the happiest, most laughter-filled breakfast I'd had in a long time.

"Alice, please don't scare Emmett that way," Esme chuckled. "I don't want him to look so frightened when we take pictures later today."

"Ah, mom," Alice whined. "Pictures again?"

"You know how I love my family photos," Esme replied.

"You'll have some really good ones in three days," Jasper said, speaking up for the first time during breakfast.

"What was that?" Rosalie asked, looking at her brother.

Jasper's eyes widened with fear. "Um…I…Nothing. I just was thinking out loud."

"Jazz!" Alice whined. "How could you?"

"I didn't mean to, Alice. I swear," he said, taking her hands into his. "Please don't be angry with me. I've just been so excited and keeping it all inside has worn me out and I slipped up."

"Would someone please explain what is going on?" Esme pleaded.

"Well…um…it was supposed to be a last minute surprise, to make it more exciting," Alice said, twisting her fingers nervously. "Jasper and I made plans to get married on the 28th at the courthouse. We were going to have you all get dressed up without knowing why and then spring it on you all."

"Why on Earth would you do that?" Esme fussed. "How would we have been able to give you a proper reception? What about the traditional wedding you always said you wanted, Alice? Although, I suppose I should be happy that I was actually going to be able to see _one_ of my children get married in person, and not just on camera."

"Esme, dear," Carlisle said softly. "Please relax and let Alice finish her explanation. Our daughter always has a reason for what she does."

"Thanks, Dad," Alice sighed, looking relieved. "Mom, I know I always talked about a big wedding, but now is not the time. Jasper's business is just getting off the ground, I've finally become a manager at the store, and neither one of us can afford to take time away from work. So we discussed things and we both agreed that the most important part of our wedding would be the people surrounding us as we said our vows. And with everyone home for Christmas, we just felt this would be the best time for it."

"And we thought a family dinner at a nice restaurant would be the perfect reception," Jasper added, still holding tightly to Alice's hands. "We didn't mean to upset you, Esme, or make it seem like we were leaving you out of anything."

"No, of course not, Jasper," Esme said, giving him a motherly smile. "I was just a bit shocked by Alice planning such a low-key event for herself."

"With the baby coming, I'll have all the big planning I need," Alice chirped.

I groaned and buried my face into Edward's shoulder, causing him to chuckle and everyone else to laugh audibly. "Why does she hate me?" I whined.

"Alice just has an odd way of showing her love," Edward said, holding me close to him.

"Remember the fun we had planning Bella and Edward's reception?" Alice asked, looking over at Esme. "And Bella's face when Edward brought her into the hall?"

I blushed darkly from just the memory of that day, causing everyone to laugh at me once again. If Alice's baby planning turned out to be anything like that reception, I was going to be buried beneath baby products. I just hoped Edward would protect me from the worst of the pixie's exuberance. As I looked up at his smiling face, I knew he truly would do anything for me. I was amazingly lucky to be so loved by the man sitting next to me. And our baby was definitely going to have the best daddy ever, right up there with my own father—I was positive of that. I only hoped that I could be as good of a mother to my baby as Renee had been to me.


	5. Christmas Day

**DISCLAIMER:** The characters do not belong to me…they are all the creation of the wonderful Stephenie Meyer.

**Edward's POV**

I laid in the bed, watching Bella sleep, with my hand resting on her abdomen. I knew it was too early to feel anything, but I couldn't seem to keep my hand to myself. There was a baby growing right beneath my fingers..._our_ baby.

I placed a light kiss against her skin, not wanting to wake my beautiful wife just yet. "Hello, little one," I whispered, knowing it was too early for me to be heard, but still feeling an overwhelming desire to say it.

Bella looked so peaceful and angelic as she slept, her brown hair fanned out across her pillow, with her arms above her head. Her long legs were tangled up in the blanket with her feet poking out at the end of the bed. I chuckled, marveling at how lucky I still felt every day, getting to wake up next to her. This wonderful angel had come into my life three years ago, and ever since then, I had been blissfully happy with her. She loved me more than I deserved, and I loved her more than I could ever express with words or gestures…Bella was my world.

She sighed and began to stir, beginning her morning wake-up ritual. I knew her next move would be to kick the covers off the rest of the way, so I made sure to keep my legs away from her. She groaned lightly and then began to move her legs, pushing the covers until they were practically falling of the bed.

She yawned loudly, lifting her arms into the air and scrunching up her face, closing her eyes even tighter. She arched her back and groaned as she stretched herself out, and then she relaxed into the bed, putting both of her hands on top of the one I had on her stomach.

"Morning, Edward," she chuckled, finally opening those gorgeous, brown eyes of hers.

"Morning, Love," I laughed, kissing her cheek. "Did you sleep well?"

"Very well," she replied, turning onto her side and snuggling up against me. "How long have you been up watching me sleep?"

"Not long. Just enough to be reminded of how very lucky I am to wake up with you every day."

"Mmn. You've got that backward, Mister."

I was getting ready to reply when I felt her tense up. I quickly pulled her over me and set her on the floor so that she would be closer to the bathroom. As soon as she was steady, she took off running and I followed right behind her. I held her hair and rubbed her back as she knelt down on the cold tile floor. I would have to ask Esme to pick something up to put there for Bella so she could be at least a little more comfortable during this stage of her pregnancy.

Once she was done, I set her on the counter and wiped her face down with a cool towel. She smiled gratefully at me, holding my free hand tightly in both of hers.

"Are you okay?" I asked her.

"Six to seven more weeks of this," she sighed.

"Why don't we look through that book you bought me and see if it has any tips on how to make your morning sickness better?"

"I would really like that, Edward."

A booming knock sounded on the bedroom door. Bella and I exchanged a glance and then started laughing, having a pretty good idea of who we would find on the other side of the door. We walked over and opened it just a crack, and were greeted by a laughing Lily.

Emmett moved Lily from side to side as he pretended she was the one talking. "Auntie Bella, Uncle Eddie. Santa came and I want presents. Pwease come downstairs."

"Pwease?" Bella asked, laughing.

"I'm just a baby," Emmett continued. "And I'm cute so forgive my speech."

"What a wordy baby you are," I laughed, opening the door wider.

Bella took Lily from Emmett and cuddled with her, kissing the baby all over the side of her face. "I love you, I love you, I love you," Bella chuckled, continuing to kiss Lily.

"She loves you, too," Emmett assured Bella, smiling proudly at the sight before him. "And you, too, Eddie," he added, patting me on the shoulder. "Now let's make her day by taking her downstairs to open up gifts."

"I think it's your day that will be made," I told him, wrapping an arm around Bella's waist and helping her down the stairs.

"There you guys are!" Alice chirped as we entered the living room.

"Bella, dear, we let you sleep in as long as we could, but with a whiny Alice and a pouting Emmett, we were outnumbered," Esme said, hugging Bella and Lily, and then me.

"It's okay, Esme," Bella chuckled. "I was already awake."

"Were you sick this morning?" Esme whispered.

Bella nodded her head, a slight blush tainting her cheeks.

"I'll make you some tea and bring you some crackers. It'll perk you right up."

"Thank you," Bella said with a bright smile.

I pulled my mother into my arms and hugged her tightly. "Thank you, Mom."

Esme hugged me back just as tight. "I am so thrilled for Bella and you. You will both make wonderful parents."

"Come on, you guys!" Emmett whined. "I finally get Squirt and Eddie down here and we still aren't opening any gifts."

"Go ahead," Esme laughed, releasing me. "Let Emmett open a gift. I'll be right back."

"No," Rosalie said sternly. "Emmett is more than old enough to wait a few more minutes, Esme."

"Ah, Rosie," Emmett groaned.

Bella chuckled, hiding her face behind Lily. She always loved to watch Rose boss Emmett around, especially with the way he always caved and listened to her.

Lily reached out her little hands and took ahold of my shirt, pulling herself toward me as she giggled.

"I think someone wants her uncle," Bella chuckled, handing Lily over to me.

"Hello, Lily Bear," I said, helping her to stand up on my legs.

She bounced up and down in my arms, her little knees buckling slightly and her curls bouncing all over. She excitedly talked to me in her baby gibberish, her little blue eyes wide and sparkling.

"You are one excited little girl this morning, aren't you?" I asked, getting a huge laugh from her in reply.

"She really does love her Uncle Edward," Alice chirped, scooting over next to me. "But she loves her Auntie Alice even more." Alice wiggled her fingers toward Lily, but Lily grabbed my shirt and tucked herself against me.

Jasper laughed and pulled a pouting Alice into his arms. "Seems she still hasn't forgiven you for the twenty-two wardrobe changes you put her through the last time we babysat."

"Alice!" Rose hissed. "Twenty-two?"

Emmett glared at Alice as he took Lily out of my arms, hugging her against him in a protective manner. "No wonder my poor princess cried when she saw you. You're an evil little pixie. _Evil_!"

"I made it up to her," Alice huffed. "Just wait until you see what I got her for Christmas."

"Her room is already overflowing from the way you spoil her," Rosalie said with a grin.

"Yes, but she's getting older every day. She needs big girl toys," Alice explained. "And if Bella and Edward have a little girl, Lily's old toys can go to her."

"I believe they are both hoping for a boy," Jasper chuckled.

Bella's eyes widened seconds before she dropped her head to hide behind her hair.

"What's wrong, Bella?" I asked, pulling her against my side. "Why are you blushing and hiding?"

"Well…I…I don't mean to be so biased," she whispered.

"Bella, dear, here is your tea," Esme interrupted, holding out the steaming cup.

I carefully took the cup and saucer from her, knowing how easily accidents seemed to happen around Bella. "I'd better hold onto those until my lovely wife decides to come out of hiding," I said, hoping a joke would coax Bella out of her shy state.

"Which one of you has embarrassed my daughter to the point of hiding?" Esme asked, her hands on her hips and a frown on her face.

"Jasper did it," Emmett yelled out, using Lily's arm to point at him. Lily giggled happy and continued to point on her.

"Jasper Hale," Esme scolded. Lily helped her out, yelling at Jasper in her baby talk.

"Esme, I swear I didn't mean to. I had no idea she would get embarrassed about it," Jasper said quickly.

"Yeah, Squirt, why are you embarrassed anyway?" Emmett asked.

"Because," Bella huffed, blowing her hair away from her face and pushing the rest away with her hands.

"My, we are moody today," Rose chuckled.

"Rose, don't tease the dear girl," Esme said, trying to hide her smile. "Go on, Bella. Tell us what's troubling you."

"Well…It's just…I know I should be happy to be pregnant at all, and not worried about if it's a boy or a girl. I know there are so many couples out there who dream of having a child and it just seems sort of selfish of me to be picky. But I can't help it." Bella looked up at me through her lashes, seeming so shy and innocent in that moment. "I really love the idea of having a little boy," she said, her voice so soft I had to strain to her the words.

I smiled and kissed her forehead, pulling her completely into my lap. "I like that idea, too, Love. And there's nothing wrong with it."

"Bella, dear, it's not selfish at all," Esme assured her, sitting down next to us. "I wished with both of my children. And I was lucky enough to get them in the exact order that I wished for them in."

"Really?" Bella asked, her smile slowly returning to her face.

"Yes, my dear. I believe all mothers have a secret wish in their heart," Esme replied. "But that's okay. Once that baby is placed into your arms, it doesn't matter if it's a boy or a girl. It only matters that the baby is alive and healthy, and all yours. No dream can replace the reality of your baby in your arms."

"What was Renee thinking when she dreamed up this big lug?" Rose teased, resting her head on Emmett's shoulder.

"She was thinking a special blonde haired beauty was going to need a big, strong man to love her and take care of her," Emmett said, kissing Rose's cheek sweetly.

"Aw!" Alice, Bella, and Esme sighed as Rose sniffled. Lily leaned over and put her forehead on Rose's cheek, patting her mother's head softly.

"That's right, Princess," Emmett cooed. "Give your mommy lots of love. She deserves it."

"Edward, I think he's finally catching on to how to speak romantic," Jasper chuckled.

"It took us long enough to teach him," I joked, grinning at Emmett.

"Are we going to open some presents or what?" Emmett asked, looking slightly annoyed.

"Yes, we are," Carlisle chuckled. "And Lily goes first."

"Ah, man!" Emmett groaned.

"Daddy, you get to help your princess open those gifts," Rose pointed out, effectively wiping away Emmett's pout.

"Let's go with that huge purple one first," Emmett said, settling Lily into his lap. "We want to see what's in that one, right, Princess?"

Lily only laughed and clapped her hands together. Jasper chuckled as he put the giant gift right in front of Lily and Emmett. Lily immediately leaned forward and started smacking her hands against the gift and excitedly talking in her little baby language.

"She likes the wrapping paper," I chuckled, holding Bella close as she sipped her tea and munched on her crackers.

"What in the world did you get her, Alice?" Rose asked, eyeing the large package warily.

"Something every princess deserves," Alice replied with a giant smile.

"Rip it right there, Lily," Emmett instructed as we all watched Lily and him tear at the paper. They both were yanking off big pieces and tossing them to the side.

"Em, she's got a piece in her mouth," Rose cautioned, trying to reach her baby girl.

"Don't let her choke on it," Esme warned, looking as if she wanted to reach for the baby too.

"What are you doing, Princess?" Emmett asked as he turned Lily to face him. He gently held her mouth open while Rose took out all of the paper.

Lily started to whimper, upset that her snack had been taken away. As the last of the paper was cleared out, Lily let out an ear-piercing scream.

"Don't cry, Princess," Emmett pleaded, hugging his screaming daughter. "Daddy couldn't let you choke. Don't be mad." He started kissing both of her cheeks loudly and soon turned her tears into happy laughter.

"Who would have ever thought my big bear of a brother could be so sweet and tender?" Bella mused, looking up at me.

"Lily has had a very calming effect on him," I said, kissing her forehead.

"What kind of effect do you think our baby will have on us?"

"I have no idea, Love, but I can't wait to find out."

As the morning progressed, the living room became a sea of tattered paper and loud, moving baby toys. The giant purple package had ended up being a castle, complete with horse-drawn carriage. Carlisle and Esme had gotten Lily a rocking zebra that she loved to hug more than ride. Bella and I had gotten her some books, hoping she would be an avid reader, just like her aunt. Rose and Emmett had given her clothing since Lily seemed to be growing every single week now. Carlisle and Esme gave her some educational toys and deposited some money into her college fund.

Once Lily crashed in her sea of gifts, Rose took her upstairs and put her into her crib. After that, we all took turns opening the gifts we had gotten each other. We were usually done by now, but with a baby in the house, everything seemed to move at a slower pace. It was hard to imagine what next year would be like with two babies, but I was extremely excited to find out.

"Alright," Carlisle sighed. "Christmas is finally over with."

Esme sat down on the arm of his chair and kissed his cheek. "Are you tired already, dear?"

"I think I'm getting too old for Christmas," he chuckled.

"Don't say that, Dad," Alice told him. "You're only as old as you feel and you are not allowed to feel old, _ever_."

"Planning on making sure I'm around forever, huh?" he asked, smiling at her.

"Absolutely," Alice said, hopping up and dancing over to him. She sat down on his lap and hugged him tightly. "You have so much to do, Dad. You have to give me away in two days, and then you have to be here to help me spoil my own children when I have some one day."

"I'll be back," Bella said suddenly, standing up and putting her tea cup on the coffee table.

"Everything okay?" I asked, watching her face closely.

"Sure," she replied, giving me a smile. I knew right away she was lying, but not the why.

I nodded my head and let her go, planning to follow right behind her. I gave her a few seconds head-start and then went after her. I found her in our bathroom, sitting on the edge of the tub and crying into her hands. "Bella?" I called, kneeling before her.

She wiped at her eyes with the tissue she was clutching and tried to smile at me.

"Don't pretend, Love. Tell me what's bothering you," I pleaded.

"I'm just not myself, Edward. I promise that's all."

"What's upset you, Bella?"

"I'm not upset, just sad."

"Okay, then. Why are you sad?"

"Because I miss my parents," she sobbed, sliding off the edge of the tub and into my arms. "I want my mom to be here to help me with this pregnancy and I want my dad to sit around and spoil his grandchild. I want to hear stories about me as a baby and go through old family photos with them."

"I'm so sorry we can't truly share this with them, Bella. But you have to know they are watching out for you, and that they are happy to see you happy. And I know it's not the same, but we can do those things with Emmett and the rest of our family. I'm sure he was old enough to remember a few things about you as a baby."

She nodded her head, her sobs somewhat quieted. "I know some of the stories, but it's not the same when they aren't here to tell them in _their_ voices." She sniffled and wiped her face. "I'm sorry, Edward. It's Christmas morning and I shouldn't be crying like this."

"Bella, we've talked about this. You have nothing to apologize for. It's natural for you to miss your parents, especially with the holidays and the baby. Would you like me to get Rosalie so you can talk to her? We know she's already been through this exact same thing, with Jasper and her having lost their parents."

"Yes, please. Don't tell everyone why, though. I don't want Emmett freaking out and coming up here. I can't handle him right now."

"Okay, Love," I promised, lifting her up and carrying her into our room. I set her down on the sofa and covered her with the throw blanket. "I'll be right back. Just rest while I get Rosalie, okay?"

"Okay," she agreed, smiling a true smile for me.

I made it to the second floor and saw Rose coming out of Lily's room. "Is she still asleep?"

"Yeah," Rose chuckled, softly closing the door. "She was whimpering in her sleep because she had managed to kick her blanket off of her."

"Rose, can I ask you for a favor?"

"Anything, Edward."

"It's Bella…"

"Her parents?" Rose questioned.

"Yes."

"I'll go talk to her. "

"Thank you, Rose," I said, pulling her into a hug.

"Bella is my little sister in all ways," Rose replied. "I'll go up and talk to her and have her smiling and laughing in no time. You just go downstairs and relax."

"That's really not possible, but I'll go downstairs anyway," I told her.

"She'll be fine, Edward. I promise you. She's just feeling overwhelmed. I went through all of this and I'm so happy to be able to use those experiences to help Bella. Now! Go do something with yourself and I will return a much happier Bella to you. And let Emmett know that Lily is sound asleep before the big bear runs up here and wakes her."

"Okay," I chuckled, turning and heading down the rest of the stairs.

"Where's Bella?" Alice asked, running up to me.

"She'll be down in a bit," I replied.

"Oh. Should I go up?"

"No, not this time. Rose is with her."

"Oh," Alice said in a soft voice. She knew just as well as I did that neither of us could completely understand the pain Bella was going through—we still had our parents with us.

"She doesn't want Emmett to know so I need you to help me keep him distracted."

"That won't be a problem," she chuckled. "He opened his new game and is currently trying to win against Jasper." Alice linked her arm in mine, pulling me over to the loveseat with her. "How upset is she?"

"She really misses them right now, Ali."

"Do you think having Mom talk to her would help?"

"No. Mom is good at comforting, but Rose knows _exactly_ what Bella is going through."

"Are you a bit jealous that you aren't up there with Bella right now?"

I chuckled, hugging Alice tighter against me. "I'm not Emmett, you know."

"I do know, but I also know how close Bella and you are."

"I know that as much as I want to understand and sympathize, I will never know exactly what it is that Emmett, Bella, Rosalie, and Jasper have gone through. I can't imagine having come this far without Mom and Dad being there for us, so there's really no way for me to know what Bella needs to hear right now. If Rose can do that, then I owe her and have nothing to feel jealous about. Bella's happiness is first and foremost."

"So, I guess maybe I should hide that last gift I have for Bella until later on," Alice sighed.

"What did you do?" I asked, turning to look at my sister's face.

"It's a gift for the baby."

"Ali, she begged you not to," I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. I loved my big sister dearly, but sometimes, she just didn't know when to quit. Bella had explicitly told her no baby gifts until we knew the sex of the baby.

"I'm sorry, but I couldn't resist it! It was too perfect," Alice replied, not a bit of remorse in her face or posture.

"What is it, Alice?" I asked, curious about what could make her blatantly go against Bella's wishes.

"I found your old silver rattle in the attic. I took to the jewelry store and had it polished."

"Alice," Esme gasped, having overheard our conversation.

"I wanted you to be just as surprised as Bella, Mom. That's the only reason I didn't mention it, I swear," Alice said, looking apologetic this time.

"You really did that for us?" I asked her.

"Yeah," she replied smiling wide. "I know how much Bella loves learning about your childhood and how she hates to let me buy her stuff, so I thought this was the perfect thing for her."

"Did you wrap it in a way that we can see it?" Esme asked. "I haven't laid eyes on it in nearly twenty years."

Alice ran over to the tree and then ran back to us, holding a rectangular box. She carefully untied the blue ribbon and then lifted the lid from the box.

"Oh, Alice," Esme sighed, running her finger across the shiny, silver surface.

"I figure this is where Edward got his love of silver cars," Alice chuckled.

"Why are you three huddled together?" Carlisle asked, walking over to us.

"I'm showing them Bella's surprise gift," Alice chirped.

"Carlisle, look," Esme said, pointing at the box and sniffling lightly. "Do you remember when you gave that to me?"

"Of course, I do," he replied, hugging her tightly. "Alice, it's wonderful that you remembered it and thought to give it to Bella."

"What's up folks?" Emmett asked, popping up behind Carlisle with Jasper. "What are we all staring at?"

"Is that for Bella?" Jasper questioned, looking down at the box in Alice's hands.

"Yep," Alice chirped.

"What's for me?" a sweet voice asked from the stairs.

My family moved to the side, making room for Bella to join us. Rose and she came down the last stair together and walked over to the sofa as Alice finished getting the lid back on the box.

"What's for me?" Bella repeated, smiling at me, as I pulled her into my lap.

"Edward?" Alice questioned.

"I think it'll be fine, Ali," I assured her.

Alice smiled wide and held the box out to Bella. "Bella, this is for you. I promise it's your last gift this year."

"I'll hold you to that," Bella said, smiling a little. She carefully took the box from Alice and began working the lid off. "The box is heavy, Alice. I hope you didn't get anything too extravagant."

"Just open it up," Alice urged.

Bella finally got the lid off and her breath caught in her throat. Her eyes filled with tears and a few spilled over onto her reddened cheeks. "Oh, Alice."

"So you like it then?" Alice asked nervously, bouncing around next to us.

Bella traced the engraved letters on the rattle, slowly nodding her head.

I kissed her wet cheek and smiled for her. "Do you really like it, Bella?"

"Edward, it's beautiful. Is it really yours?"

"Yes. My dad just reminded me of the story behind it. Would you like to hear it?"

"Of course I would," Bella replied, putting her hand against my cheek. "I love hearing stories about you growing up."

"Well, my mom was eight weeks pregnant with me and was having a rough time with her morning sickness." I winked at Bella and she giggled, pressing her forehead to mine. "Smells really affected her and she couldn't handle food in the early morning. So, my dad was forced to eat plain old cereal all the time."

"Not that I minded," Carlisle interjected.

I chuckled. "And because he didn't mind and he wanted to prove to my mother how happy he was about her being pregnant, he went out in search of the perfect gift. You see, my mother was absolutely convinced from the moment she found out she was pregnant that I would be a boy. She had my name picked out within hours of getting her test results. So after searching all day, my dad saw this rattle in the window of a jewelry shop. He went inside and asked to have my initials engraved onto it. A few days later, the rattle was ready and my dad brought it home to my mom."

"Did she get all weepy like me?" Bella giggled, her brown eyes bright with excitement.

"Why, yes, I did," Esme chuckled.

"Thank you. This is just perfect," Bella said. She hugged Alice first and then Esme. "I'm so lucky to have all of you with me and I love you all."

"And we love you, Squirt," Emmett said, walking over and wrapping Bella and Esme in one of his bear hugs.

The rest of the family followed suit until we were just eight sets of arms holding tightly to each other. Bella was right and we were all very lucky to have each other. Our baby was definitely coming into a wonderful, loving family and I couldn't wait to meet him…or her.

* * *

Of course Alice wasn't going to let Christmas pass without having something for the baby! LOL! And next chapter, is Alice's POV and her lovely wedding to Jasper. I hope to have that out next weekend for you guys!!

And a quick shout out to the ladies that keep me sane and writing ... You are my favorite cookies in the all word and I'm glad we share our duct-taped jar!


	6. A&J Wedding Day

**DISCLAIMER:** The characters do not belong to me…they are all the creation of the wonderful Stephenie Meyer.

**Alice's POV**

For as long as I could remember, I could see things about people, about their futures. Call it flashes of intuition, a second sight, or just a feeling of what would be the right path. Edward used to call me "The Great Ali" when we were kids because I always seemed to know when something big was going to happen. I think my little gift equally enthralled and scared him—in all honesty, I felt that way about it, too.

The day I'd met Jasper, I had the best "sight" of my entire life. I was walking through a nursery with my mother, trying to help her decide between the miniature pink rosebushes and the crop of white freesia. Personally, I wanted her to go with yellow tiger lilies, but she'd done that two years ago and wanted something new and different this time; my mother took her garden club very seriously.

I remember walking away from her to look at some gardenias. The flowers were so white and beautiful that I couldn't help but bend down and smell their sweet fragrance.

"Be careful, little girl. You don't want to fall into that plant," a deep voice had said.

I stood up straight and started to turn around, preparing a thousand different things to say to the idiot who'd thought I was a child. Sure, I was short, but to be mistaken for a little kid…_How rude_!

But all of those comments fell away when my eyes landed on him. His blonde hair seemed to frame his face perfectly—not overly short or long, not too wavy or straight, but somehow just right. And his blue eyes…even with all of my fashion knowledge, I couldn't put an exact color to them.

He took in a sharp breath, wincing slightly. "I'm so sorry, Miss. I shouldn't…well, it was wrong…and I'm sorry for assuming…please forgive me?" he stuttered.

I found myself giggling at his expense, pleased that he seemed so flustered about his error. "I'll forgive you if you tell me your name," I offered.

"Jasper," he smiled, holding his hand out toward me. "Jasper Hale."

"Hello, Jasper. I'm—" I was sure I had meant to tell him my name, but when he'd grabbed my hand and I'd felt his skin against mine, I'd forgotten everything, including my own name.

"Beautiful," Jasper said, pulling my hand up toward his face. The moment his lips touched my skin, the most wonderful vision I'd ever seen filled my mind. Jasper was in a tuxedo and he was smiling wide with his blue eyes sparkling like a set of Tiffany diamonds. And I was there, standing across from him in a beautiful wedding gown with both vintage and modern styling to it. And from the looks on our faces, we were deeply in love with each other.

"Ma'am," a voice called, trying to pull me away from this beautiful sight. "Ma'am, are you okay?" the voice persisted.

I sighed and shook my head, letting myself return to the here and now. Jasper had a worried look upon his face and he was now holding both of my hands. "Alice. My name is Alice," I said.

"Well, Alice, are you okay?" Jasper asked.

"I'm perfectly fine."

"Are you sure? You seemed a little…"

"Off?" I chuckled.

"No, just lost in your thoughts. Whatever you were thinking about seemed to make you very happy," he said. Those blue eyes of his held my gaze, drawing me in until I felt this overwhelming sense of calm and the desire to be completely honest with him.

"Jasper, I'm going to marry you one day," I told him.

"Marriage?" he asked, his lips turning up into a gorgeous smile. "I think it's a little soon to know that, but why don't we get a cup of coffee and discuss the possibilities?"

"The coffee shop is going to have its power go out for some reason. Why don't we go to Café Presse instead?"

"How do you know that?" Jasper questioned. His eyebrows were slightly arched and his blue eyes burned through me, trying to pull the answer straight from my soul—or at least that's how it felt to me.

"I don't know," I shrugged. "Sometimes, I just know things."

"Like I'll one day be extremely lucky to have someone as beautiful as you marry me?" he asked, a small smirk forming on that perfect mouth of his.

"Exactly like that," I assured him.

"Alice, dear! Where have you run off to?" my mother called.

"Oh!" I gasped, having completely forgotten my own mother in this marvelous man's presence. "I'm so sorry, Jasper. I really want to get to know you, but I'm here with my mother."

That gorgeous smile I'd glimpsed earlier overtook his face once again. "You know, I've heard somewhere that three is the perfect number when you want company, so why not just invite her along?"

And so I had. My mother, Jasper, and I had spent nearly three hours in Café Presse talking about so many different topics. I'd learned that Jasper was a fraternal twin, and that he and his sister, Rosalie, had both ended up with their mother's hair and their father's eyes. I'd also discovered that his parents had passed away a long time ago, innocent victims of a foreign nation's civil war. Jasper didn't go into detail and neither my mother nor I felt it was the time or place to ask more questions. I'd fount out that Jasper and Rosalie were originally from Mississippi, but had moved to Washington to attend college together—Jasper was an architect and Rosalie was into mechanical design and engineering. And I'd learned that I already loved him and wanted to spend every day of my life with him.

"Alice."

Why couldn't people just leave me to my thoughts? They always complained that I didn't have deep thoughts, only thinking of fashion, and then when I finally find something a lot more valuable than couture items, they want to make me pay attention to something else.

"Oh, Alice Cul-len!"

I tried once more to ignore that voice and continue replaying that first day with Jasper.

"Fine. Don't show up on time to marry Jasper and completely crush his heart. Edward will yell at you. Emmett will tease you _and_ yell at you. Esme and Carlisle will be disappointed in you. Rosalie will _kill_ you."

I sighed and glared at my normally sweet sister-in-law. "Isabella, you're awfully impatient today."

"Look here, Pixie!" Bella fussed, returning my glare. "You're going to get your ass into this dress and we're going to go downstairs to join Esme, or I'm going to put myself in charge of getting you ready and I'll toss your little butt in jeans and a t-shirt."

"Is that the hormones talking? Or the Bella that Emmett once said might bite?" I chuckled, hugging Bella tightly.

"Both," she laughed. "You know, I sort of expected you to be bouncing all over and have been dressed since first thing this morning. Why are you so calm?"

"I don't know," I shrugged. "Maybe because I've known this day was coming for so very long."

"You know, technically, Emmett is the reason we all ended up as one big family. That's kind of a scary thought," Bella giggled.

"Emmett? How is Emmett the one responsible?"

"Emmett is the reason Jasper was in the nursery on the day you met him. Emmett and Jasper met at the gym and Jasper invited him over to hang out. While he was there, Emmett was goofing off and knocked over this big potted plant, breaking the bowl and everything. Jasper went to the nursery to find a replacement pot, and then he met you. And then Jasper introduced Emmett to Rosalie and you, and eventually to Edward. And months later, you all came to introduce Rosalie to me."

"Does Emmett know this?"

"Heck no," Bella giggled. "He'd never stop reminding us of his _very_ important role in our lives if he did. You know how much he enjoys his teasing. The only ones who know are Rosalie, me, and now you. And since you're all informed now, I have to insist that you get into this very beautiful wedding dress so that we can drive down to the courthouse and get you married."

"Mrs. Jasper Hale," I sighed happily, helping Bella to remove my dress from the hanger. Rosalie was helping Jasper to get ready, just as he'd helped her on her wedding day. Days like today were huge reminders of how lucky Edward and I were to still have our parents with us, to share in these experiences with them.

With Bella's help, I was dressed and ready to go in under thirty minutes. Of course, I'd gotten up at the crack of dawn to get my hair and make-up just perfect, so Bella really only had to help me into the dress and my shoes.

Everyone was so shocked that I'd decided on a small ceremony, knowing my penchant for throwing parties and making a huge deal out of the smallest of things. But there were more important things than parties, or so I'd finally learned. Jasper was up for a huge promotion at his job and couldn't afford to take any time off, and we were both saving up for a house. We knew we wanted a family and that a condo in the city was not going to be the place to raise a baby. So with my future in mind for once, I was making adult decisions and being a responsible Cullen. My father kept checking me for phantom fevers and my mother kept asking if I was sure. Rose and Bella just wanted Jasper and me to be happy, while Emmett and Edward only cared about how uncomfortable their suits would be. But that was okay! I'd be my normal party-planning monster when it came time for Bella's baby shower.

Bella called my attention back to my dress as she fluffed the edges out. And what a beautiful dress it was! It was a strapless dress with a beaded bodice and lace wrapped over the lower half of the bodice. The bottom half of the gown slightly flared out and reached all the way down to the floor. There was more lace at the bottom of the gown and a short train as well. Standing in front of the full-length mirror, I could see that I was truly my father's little princess in this dress.

Bella and I helped each other down the stairs and my mother greeted us with that warm smile that always made me want to curl up in her arms and never move. "Alice, dear, you look so beautiful," my mother sniffled. "I can't believe you're getting married today. Not that I ever doubted Jasper would marry you."

"Mom," I chuckled. "You didn't need to add that on the end. I know you've always been supportive of Jasper and me. If you weren't, Daddy would have found a way to get rid of Jasper long ago."

"What do you mean?" Bella asked.

I looked over at Bella's curious face, wondering which of us had forgotten about the story. "Didn't I tell you the story about my high school boyfriend, Connor?"

"No. I know about Todd, Seth, Dillon, and Marcus," Bella said, ticking the names off with her fingers. "But no Connor."

"Well, Connor was my boyfriend for senior year. He actually looked a little like Brendan Fraser, which was probably why I dated him in the first place. I was a bit preoccupied with fashion and looks at that age. Anyway! Connor had the nerve to think that dating me for a month meant that I had to…" I paused, searching for a mother-appropriate word "…be _active_ with him in return. Of course, I immediately broke up with him and he started spreading nasty rumors around school. I told my father about it and three days later, Connor and his entire family picked up and moved away."

"Alice, dear, don't fill Bella's head with nonsense. Connor's father moved to accept a promotion with his company."

"Who in their right mind considers a job in Alaska a promotion?" I huffed. "And in the dead of winter, too!"

"And now I see where Edward got his overprotective nature from," Bella giggled. "Speaking of which, if we're late, you know he's going to assume something is wrong with me."

"We just have one more thing to do and then we can leave," my mother announced.

"What's that, Esme?" Bella asked.

"I have to put this on my daughter," my mother replied, pulling out the necklace Aunt Elizabeth had left her.

"Oh, Mom!" I gasped. "Are you sure?"

"There will never be a more perfect day than your wedding day, my sweet daughter."

I'd loved this necklace since the first time I'd seen it in my mother's jewelry box. It was made of diamonds and every few inches of chain, had a flower made of four smaller diamonds hanging from it. I'd always thought it looked like it belonged on a Queen or a Princess. And when I'd learned the word "regal" in school, I'd known right away that it was the perfect word for this necklace.

"There," my mother said, adjusting the necklace just the tiniest bit. She led me over to the mirror near the door so that I could see my reflection. She pressed her cheek to mine, holding my shoulders from behind and giving me a watery smile. "My perfect little girl."

I looked up, noticing Bella's reflection in the mirror. She looked so sad, even though she was trying very hard to have a smile on her face just for me. She was missing her parents now more than ever and only Rosalie seemed to have words to make her feel better these days.

My cell phone started ringing at that moment and Bella pulled it from my clutch, handing it to me. I slid it open and answered it. "Hello?"

"Alice Cullen, if you don't get your little fairy ass over here in the next fifteen minutes, I'm personally going to come and hunt you down," Rose warned.

I chuckled at her impatience. "I'll be there soon, Rose. I'd never leave Jasper at the altar, or the desk, or whatever the judge is going to be standing by."

"Just get your pixie self over here before my brother has a heart attack from all of the anticipation."

"Tell him nothing can keep me away from that courthouse and I'll be there as soon as I can," I told her.

"Alright, Alice. Fifteen minutes."

"Got it," I chuckled. "See you soon, Rose." I ended the call and handed the phone back to Bella. "Let's go get me married," I said happily.

And that's just what we did. We stood in a small room, with my father at my side and Rose at Jasper's side. Emmett and Esme took pictures while Edward held a crying Bella with one arm and a laughing Lily with the other. And Jasper…my Jasper was in his tux, with his sparkling eyes and that gorgeous smile. It was a thousand times better than my daydream from the nursery—it was absolutely perfect. And we were still waiting to begin.

"Hello. I'm Judge Daniels," a woman said as she entered the room. She was tall, dressed in a dark blue suit with her gray hair pulled up into a tight bun. "The room seems smaller than usual with so many of you here," she chuckled. Her eyes crinkled at the corners, drawing attention to their light green color. She should have gone with a gray suit with black accents. It would have set off her eyes more.

"Alice?" Jasper called, lightly tugging on my hand. "Are you ready to get married?"

"From the moment I met you," I replied, smiling at him. His blue eyes crinkled the slightest bit as a beautiful smile filled his face. My heart felt like it might burst from all the love I was feeling for this wonderful man in front of me. I only hoped he could feel how very much I wanted this day, this marriage, this forever with him.

"Then let's get started," Judge Daniels said. So very, very reluctantly, I pulled my eyes away from Jasper and looked toward the judge. She smiled kindly and then continued. "We are gathered here today to witness the joining of Jasper Hale and Alice Cullen in matrimony. Do you both understand the seriousness of the commitment you are pledging to undertake?"

"We do," Jasper replied, squeezing my hand and smiling wide.

"We definitely do," I agreed.

And Lily picked that moment to say a few words on the matter, making everyone laugh. Edward started humming to little Lily and soon enough, she was completely quiet, resting her curly head on his shoulder. We were all getting a glimpse of what my brother would be like as a father, and it was perfect.

With Lily taken care of, the judge resumed the ceremony. "Jasper Hale, do you take Alice Cullen to be your wife, to care for her, to provide for her, to love and honor her everyday of your life together?"

"I do," Jasper answered, barely letting her finish the question.

"Eager, Jasper?" Emmett teased, nudging him in the shoulder. Rose turned her head and gave Emmett a deadly glare, so he puckered his lips, blowing her a kiss. "I'm happy for Jazz. You know that, Rosie."

Rose smiled the slightest bit. "Emmett, shut up and let my brother get married."

The judge chuckled at them before continuing with the ceremony. "Alice Cullen, do you take Jasper Hale to be your husband, to care for him, to provide for him, to love and honor him everyday of your life together?"

I know a lot of people claim to have their lives flash before them during near-death experiences, but I was never all that ordinary. So mine flashed behind my eyes as I stared at the man I loved with all of my heart and soul. But it wasn't all of my life that I saw. My memories started the day I'd met Jasper and continued on through this very moment. Not that I needed a replay of things to know my answer. I'd known it from the first moment he'd pressed his lips to my skin.

"I do," I said, making sure my voice sounded as excited as I felt inside.

"Then it is with great pleasure that I pronounce you man and wife. Jasper, kiss your bride," Judge Daniels instructed.

And he did just that, pouring all of his love and excitement into it, making me feel like we were the only two people in the room and that nothing mattered more than this one moment in time. It was perfect.

With a copy of our marriage license in hand, we headed over to Serafina's for the reception. By that time, Lily was asleep in Emmett's arms so it was a good thing that the atmosphere was dark and cozy. My mother offered to take the baby for a bit, but Emmett stubbornly refused to let go of his baby girl. I smiled, hoping Jasper would one day act that way when we had children.

The waiter led us over to the table Jasper and I had reserved. Bella was the first to notice we had too many chairs. "Alice, are we expecting company?" she asked, pointing at the two empty chairs beside her. "You've got two empty chairs here and two on your side of the table."

"No, it's the right number of seats," I assured her.

"Alice had a wonderful idea," Jasper said, smiling proudly at me. "She felt we should acknowledge those that are here only in spirit this afternoon."

"Yes, because I have no doubt that Mr. and Mrs. Hale, and Mr. and Mrs. Swan are here with us, watching over their children," I added.

Bella's lip quivered and she quickly turned her face into Edward's chest, sobbing against him. Emmett looked so much like he wanted to take care of her, but he had a sleeping baby in one arm and his own sobbing wife in the other. And honestly, there was no need. My brother had already managed to calm Bella's sobs and she was quietly sniffing while nodding her head to whatever he was telling her.

"Alice," Rose croaked, looking at me with puffy eyes. "That's the absolute sweetest thing you've ever done. Thank you."

"I'm just glad you liked it," I told her.

"My parents really would love you," Rose said, giving me a big smile. "And not just because you make Jasper happy, either. You're a good person, Alice, and you always seem to know just what your family needs."

It was my turn to tear-up and sob a little as Rose's kind words tucked themselves away in my heart. She and I had never gotten as close as Bella and I were, and it meant a lot to me to have Rose say that. Jasper rubbed my arm and kissed my temple and I smiled as his touch brought that wonderful calm feeling I'd come to know and love.

As soon as the drinks arrived, our family took turns toasting us and congratulating us. Rose's toast was sweet; Edward's was perfectly romantic; Bella's was a mixture of romance and humor; my parents wished us long lives and a good marriage; and then there was Emmett.

"Jasper, I've had the pleasure of watching you grow and blossom into a beautiful young woman," Emmett started.

"Emmett!" Rose, Bella, and my mother chastised. Rose also added a smack to his arm for good measure.

"Oh, right! This is his wedding day, not his Bar Mitzvah," Emmett chuckled.

"Em, Rose and I aren't Jewish," Jasper pointed out.

"And that's exactly why I didn't tell you mazzletoff," Emmett replied. "So here we are, one big family, celebrating the union of the pixie and the great emotional one."

"Emmett, this is my big sister's special day. She decided it to spend it with just us instead of thousands of people we barely know. Give her a break," Edward told him.

"Alright," Emmett sighed. "I was just having a little fun first. But I should be serious because this is an important day. The last part of our little family circle closed today, and we are officially one big family. We are the Swahallen family."

"The what?" we all laughed.

"You know! Swan and Hale and Cullen joined together is the Swahallen family," Emmett explained. "So, Jasper, Alice, it's with great pride as the oldest in our group, that I condone your wedding and wish you a night full of wedding bliss and hot, steamy, lovin'."

"It wouldn't be an Emmett toast without some depravity involved," Bella chuckled. "Sorry about him."

I leaned over to Jasper. "Remind me again why I wanted a small ceremony and having Emmett this close?"

Jasper chuckled and kissed my lips softly. "Because we love the big old, depraved bear."

I laughed as Jasper pulled me into a tight hug. "Yeah, that's the reason," I agreed.

The rest of dinner consisted of smiles, laughs, old childhood stories, and wonderful food. We even had the pleasure of Lily waking up in a good mood and wanting to visit each of us. Of course, that probably had more to do with her managing to get us all to feed her little things from our plates, but I would take whatever baby love I could get. Lily still hadn't quite forgiven me for her wardrobe changes, but honestly, someone had to teach her the importance of variety. As I looked around the table at each of my loved ones, I knew this day couldn't have been more perfect even if I'd waited for the giant wedding with all of the trimmings.

The day eventually turned to night and my parents took Lily home, leaving the rest of us to have a night out on the town. We all drove over to the condo Jasper had bought for us a couple of years ago and the girls came with me into the bedroom so we could all change for a night out on the town.

"Alice, were you really satisfied with such a small wedding?" Bella asked as I worked on re-curling the parts of her hair that had fallen.

"Yes, I was, and I am. It was absolutely perfect and I know it was because I had the people I love surrounding me," I told her.

"You know, it's so not fair that I had to have that huge wedding reception and you don't," Bella fussed.

I chuckled at her and kissed her cheek. "I've had lots of big parties in my lifetime, Bella. You needed to experience at least one for yourself."

"So, Momma Bella!" Rose chirped. "How are you feeling?"

"Strangely energized today," Bella chuckled. "Especially considering I had the worst case of morning sickness yet. I didn't make it to the bathroom either. Edward had to clean it all up while I sat on the couch crying over it. I couldn't decide if I felt more awful for ruining the carpet, or for crying and upsetting Edward."

"Screw, Edward!" Rose huffed. "Well, not that you haven't already, obviously. But, Bella, _you're_ the one who's pregnant! Let Edward deal with the puke and the tears and the snippy comments and you only worry about growing that baby so he's healthy and strong."

"Are those your official words of wisdom, Rosalie?" I snorted.

"You know what, Pixie, it's time you got a dose of your own medicine," Rose said, grinning wickedly at me. "I officially predict that your first pregnancy will result in twins, and that you will crave pickles and ice cream throughout it all."

"There are no twins in my family," I informed her. "And there's no way in hell I'm going to eat pickles and ice cream. I can't stand pickles!"

"Dear, sweet, innocent, clueless Alice," Rose chuckled. "You are married to my brother and our family runs rampant with twins. We are twins, my father's mother was a twin, her oldest siblings were a set of twin brothers, and my mother's father was a triplet."

"You are making that up!" I accused. "You're just trying to scare me."

"Think what you want," Rose shrugged.

"I'm asking Jasper," I warned her.

"Go right ahead," Rose replied calmly.

"Crap!" I yelled, knowing Rose was dead serious about this multiples thing.

"Ladies, is everything okay?" Edward asked, knocking lightly on the door.

"We're fine," Bella giggled. "Alice just got a rather disturbing history lesson is all."

"Are you okay, Love?"

"Yes, but I'm thirsty again."

"I'll go see what I can find you."

"That man is damn near perfect," Bella sighed, staring at the closed door.

"Only near?" I chuckled.

"He is a man," she shrugged. "They only pretend to know everything. Which is why Edward made the mistake of mentioning to me that my pants seemed rather tight yesterday."

"He. Did. Not," Rose gasped.

"Yep," Bella chirped. "I think he meant it as a worry about the baby being squished, but I didn't take it that way at all. You know, I'd never really yelled at him before, but it was kind of nice to have him screw up for a change. Not that I should have yelled because he's never lost his temper with me."

"He's never been pregnant either," Rose pointed out.

"So I basically get to blame a lot on being pregnant, huh?" Bella asked.

"Oh, yes," Rose said, nodding her head and smiling wickedly. "You have to grow another life inside. You have to grow out of all of your clothes. You have to be sick practically every morning for weeks. And then when you finally get to a good stage and want to devour your husband, you can't do it without a huge belly getting in the way. We have _every_ right to be moody for those nine months. And honestly, the moment they see their baby for the first time, they forgive us for all of it. At least, that's how it was for Emmett and me."

"I can't wait to hold our baby," Bella sighed, putting her hands over her stomach.

"Bella?" Edward called, knocking on the door again.

"Go on out and see him," I encouraged, helping Bella up from the chair. "Your hair is once again perfect and you don't even need to change for tonight. That dress is already perfect."

"Thanks, Alice," Bella said, giving me a huge hug.

As soon as Bella was out of the room, I turned my attention to Rose. "How bad do you think her mood swings are going to get?"

"Hard to tell," Rose shrugged. "But with the way she's missing her parents, Edward had better watch out. I remember going through that stage at the beginning of my pregnancy. I would get angry at my parents for not being with me, mad at myself for being angry at them since it wasn't their choice, and then Emmett would bear the brunt of it, and I would get angry over that…it was a very viscous cycle."

"What got you out of it?"

"Esme. She showed up at the house one day, with a baby book and a ton of photos she's secretly been taking of my expanding belly. We spent the afternoon starting Lily's baby book together, with her telling me stories of her pregnancy with Edward and you. I shared some of my favorite stories from my own childhood. And somewhere in the middle of all of that, I felt at peace, knowing my parents were in that room, watching us write in that book. That probably sounds silly, or like wishful thinking, and maybe it is…but it still feels real to me."

"Do you think my mother's going to do that for Bella?"

"Nope," Rose said with a huge smirk.

"Why not?" I asked, completely confused.

"Well, she is, but she has help. Edward's already started it. He borrowed my camera and snapped the first picture of Bella's pregnant belly while she was sleeping the other night. And he's asked Emmett to write down any stories he can remember about when Bella was a baby."

"So they're going to give her the book soon then?"

"I think Edward wants to wait until she's further along. One of the things we found out when Emmett and I went through the Swan family's medical history is that the women tend to have a hard time with the pregnancy and birth. There were a lot of miscarriages on both Charlie and Renee's sides of the family."

"Are you saying Bella could lose the baby?"

"Unfortunately, yes. All this stuff is genetic and your mom had trouble, too, so that increases the risks for Bella."

"That can't happen, Rose," I said, promising myself that I would watch over Bella and that baby. "Bella would never be able to handle losing that baby. She's already so attached to it."

"I know. That's why we all are going to have to do our share to make sure Bella stops taking care of all of us and only takes care of herself."

I nodded my head in agreement with Rose. I would do anything to make sure Bella stayed healthy—even toning down the nursery and shopping. And I would also need to get Edward alone, to make sure he knew what he was dealing with. My brother looked like the strong, protective type on the outside, but I knew if he lost Bella, he'd never come back from that. He was a lot like Noah in that movie _The Notebook_, and I knew he would die right along with Bella when that day came—but it had better be a long, long, long, _long_ time from now. Those two souls had already been tarnished enough with pain and loss, and there was no way the world could be cruel enough to separate them now that they were joined. I refused to think it, see it, or acknowledge it all. They _would_ have a happily ever after! I would make sure it was the only future I would ever see for them.

* * *

Hope you all enjoyed the chapter!! I know it might not seem very Alice-like at first, but keep in mind that her decision to be low-key is based on two things: 1) Jasper is very close to getting a promotion and she doesn't want to get in the way of that. 2) She can go wild for Bella's baby shower and plans to! It's going to be quite the event.

I know I have some Jasper/Alice lovers out there and I've never really written for the other couples. BUT! If there are enough of you interested, I will do a separate one shot of the wedding night. So if you're interested, let me know somewhere in your review.

And this isn't exactly OLM related, but I'm so psyched by it, that I had to share ... All three of the Vampire Bella stories are nominated for Twilight Awards. That's just awesome. And the nomination is as much for the readers as it is for me because I never thought I would write more than Fairytale. And you guys loved First Year so much that it convinced me to write Year Two. So thanks for that!


	7. A&J Wedding Night LMN

**DISCLAIMER:** The characters do not belong to me…they are all the creation of the wonderful Stephenie Meyer.

**A Very Lemony Wedding Night -- You Are Warned!**

**Jasper's POV**

The wedding day was not for the husband. Not only did you have to dress up in an annoyingly uncomfortable outfit, you didn't actually get to spend any of your time with your wife. I'd had Alice's attention for the entirety of the all too short ceremony and that was it. The ink had barely even dried on our marriage license before she was ushering us all off to the restaurant.

And dinner with Alice was never a calm, private affair when our families were together. It was like they all fed off of Alice's excitement, making them all a bunch of rowdy teenagers instead of the adults they normally managed to be. Well, all except for Edward—his most relaxed setting was slightly tense for a normal person.

After dinner, we'd all come back to the condo to let everyone change. The girls had spent the better part of an hour hiding in the bedroom with Alice. Other than Rose and Alice having changed their dresses, I wasn't sure what they'd been doing for the past hour. Alice looked as breathtakingly beautiful in her little purple number as she had in her wedding dress. And she had put on my favorite shoes—they were silver heels that had a screw-type design to them. They almost brought her to my chin and they looked damn sexy against her tanned legs.

My hands twitched, wanting to find out if that dress was as silky as it looked. Alice had decided last month that we would abstain to make the wedding night more special. More special my…It was frustrating! That's what it was! I was just glad Edward and Emmett hadn't found out about it. They'd have made the last four weeks completely unbearable if they'd known, especially Emmett.

"Ali, can we please send them all away and stay home?" I begged, nibbling at her earlobe. "Let me show you how happy I am to have you as my wife."

Alice chuckled evilly as she shimmied against my body just enough to drive me even crazier. "I promise the wait will be worth it, Jazzy. But first, we dance." Without another word, she twirled away and walked off to join Rose near Bella and Edward.

"I'd pull your shirt out of your pants if I were you," Emmett chuckled, having somehow managed to sneak up on me. How the hell such a big bear of a man could be stealthy like that just amazed me. "You know, Jazz," Emmett started, putting his big arm on my shoulder. "It's good to see you still have it bad for the little pixie after all this time."

"Emmett, tread carefully," I warned him. Emmett had his own zip code in the land of perverted minds and there was no telling what over-the-top sexual innuendo was lurking behind his big mouth.

"What?" he asked, feigning innocence. "I was just going to ask if you've gotten used to the sensation."

I knew I was making a huge mistake, but I couldn't seem to stop myself. "What sensation?"

"Her little wings tickling your skin and little Jazzy," he said with a big smirk on his face.

"Do you really want me to tell my sister you're annoying me on my wedding day?"

Emmett immediately straightened up and looked somber. "Sorry, Jasper. Didn't mean anything by it. I was just trying to lighten the mood. You seemed a little tense was all."

"Jazz, Em!" Alice yelled. "Let's go, you two!"

We all climbed into Rose's Minivan so that we would only have to take one car. I still couldn't believe my sister had gotten a minivan with her love of cars, but I guess parenthood required you to be more practical than stylish. I wondered when Alice and I would start to talk about parenthood. I didn't want to rush her or anything—I knew how much she loved her job. Still! The very thought of Alice carrying our baby was enough to fill me with excitement and anticipation.

I wasn't a big fan of clubbing. I didn't mind the dancing and some of the music was actually quite good. It was the men I couldn't stand. From the second the first man caught sight of Alice, Rose, and Bella, until they were safely in the car again, they were stared at like pieces of meat instead of the amazing women that they were.

And tonight was no different. Emmett was mostly oblivious, too busy trying to peek down Rose's dress to notice the drooling stares. But Edward noticed. I could see it in the way he held Bella in front of him with his hands covering her belly. And he was only going to get worse as her stomach expanded. I wouldn't be the list bit surprised if he tried to strap a pillow to her belly in an effort to keep her from bumping into anything. "Tried" being the operative word because Isabella Marie Swan, little sister of Emmett Swan, was as stubborn as they came. If she felt she was perfectly safe, then she would tell Edward exactly where he could stick his pillow.

"Jasper, would you be interested in dancing with your new wife?" Alice asked. She was moving her body just enough to make her dress fan out and twirl a little as she seductively held her bottom lip between her teeth. Her lipstick was that shiny kind that made her lips look so wet, and pink, and ready to be kissed. The woman was going to kill me before we'd even been married for a full day. Oh, but what a way to go!

I found a lingering shred of gentleman inside of me and led my beautiful wife out to the dance floor, managing to satisfy myself with a chaste kiss to her blush covered cheek. Her little arms encircled what they could of my waist and she rested her head against my chest, already swaying to the lyrics of "With You" by Chris Brown. I wasn't as into music as Edward and Alice, but being with her everyday had made some of her knowledge rub off on me. And honestly, it was a nice song. I could relate a lot of the lyrics to how I felt about Alice. Without her, my life wouldn't be as vibrant, as entrancing, or as fulfilling. Alice did every single thing with her whole heart and loving me was no different.

The music changed to something much more…whatever it was, it made Alice dance in that sexy way she had, barely grazing her body against every part of mine while not really touching me at the same time. It was completely maddening. But it was better than the alternative. She could have been—Yep! Spoke too soon. Alice had turned her back toward me and was now grinding her little backside against me. She had to know she was playing a very dangerous game, spreading this much lust around this early in the night. She couldn't really expect me to stay here with everyone instead of taking her home and showing her exactly how much I desired her.

For the first time in my life, I was glad Emmett had found a way to interrupt. Without uttering a word, he grabbed my arm and pulled me away toward Edward, who was having a rather heated argument with an angry Bella. Rose didn't look much happier.

"What's going on?" I asked, putting my hands on Bella's shoulders in hopes of calming her. It wasn't good for her to get upset too often or for too long. She was attempting to grow a baby inside of her small body.

"Edward refuses to dance with me, which is all fine and well. But now he's _ordering_ me not to dance at all!" Bella fumed, glaring at Edward.

"We came out to have a good time. She has on sensible shoes and she's going to be with me," Rose said. "So just back off, Edward. Stop trying to be her lord and savior, and just be her husband."

Edward looked so pitiful being ganged up on by Rose and Bella at the same time, but it was his own fault. He was too overprotective and Bella was too independent to put up with it for long periods of time. She'd been pretty calm about it during the last week, but obviously Edward had tried one too many times to boss her around.

"You two do something with him," Bella hissed, waving her finger between Emmett and me. "I'm going with dance with my sisters." She turned on her heel, her brown hair swinging out and smacking Edward right in his shocked face.

Emmett was bent over guffawing like an idiot, slapping his knee with one hand and pointing at Edward with the other.

"Edward, a word of advice…Don't piss off the pregnant woman," I said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "As much as she loves you, she's got a lot to deal with and she's not going to take your crap if she doesn't absolutely have to."

"I'm just trying to make sure she doesn't overdo things, Jasper," Edward defended. "You know how stubborn she is and how much she hates to admit she needs things."

"What she needs most, is to be with her family and friends and be her age before she _has_ to be a responsible parent every second of every day," I told him.

"Edward, I like you, man," Emmett said, hooking his arm around Edward's neck and dragging his body closer. "But if you keep pissing off my baby sister, I'm going to beat your ass."

"You just need to relax and back off, Edward," I said. I moved aside and pointed out our three beautiful wives, dancing together in a tight little circle. All three of them were smiling and having a good time. "She's safe and she's happy. So stop being a worry-wart and go dance with your wife."

"Think she'll let me?" he asked, running a hand through his already messed up hair.

"Apologize with feeling," Emmett said, patting Edward's chest.

Edward and I couldn't help but laugh at Emmett's attempt to give useful information. Lord knows he'd angered Rose enough times to know a thing or two about apologies.

Edward walked off toward Bella, looking like a man taking a long walk off a short pier; only Bella could make him that nervous. He tapped her shoulder and she turned, still looking angry at him. Emmett and I started betting each other on how she would hit him and when it would happen.

Whatever Edward had said must have been damn good because Bella's angry scowl melted into a bright smile and she threw her arms around his neck. Alice and Rose smiled and patted his back—must have been one hell of a line to get both of them to forgive him too. The girls always stuck up for each other against us.

With that drama solved, Emmett and I joined everyone else on the dance floor, finally getting around to enjoying the music and dancing with our beautiful women. I really was going to have to ask Edward about his apology—Bella was so enthralled with him that she wasn't even paying attention to the rhythm of the music. She was just swaying in front of him, never taking her arms away from his neck or her lips from his.

"We're the last to do the marriage thing, Jazzy," Alice said, her melodic voice capturing my full attention.

"Do you wish we would have done it sooner?" I asked her.

"Never," she giggled, using my shirt collar to pull my lips down to hers. "Everything about us happened exactly as it should and it's all been perfect, just like the rest of our lives will be."

"I'll do all that I can to make sure of it, Alice," I promised. She gave me that smile that lit up her whole face and made her eyes sparkle and my heart did a flip for her. Every time I thought I couldn't love her more, she found a way to cram one more ounce of feeling into my already overloaded heart—and I wouldn't have it any other way.

**Alice's POV**

I'd showered away the club smells, made sure every part of me was smooth as a baby's bottom, and I was dressed to kill in my new outfit. So what in the heck was I nervous for? How come I couldn't stop fidgeting with the lingerie I'd bought especially for tonight? And why hadn't I left this stupid bathroom yet? Why had I wanted to abstain again?

"Oh, get a grip, Alice Cullen," I said, chastising my reflection. I realized my mistake and giggled at myself. "Alice Hale now." I sighed and looked sternly at myself. "Alice, you're being as silly as Bella gets. You've brought Emmett to his knees numerous times, beat out hoards of shoppers at Bergdorf Goodman for the perfect dress in the perfect size as soon as it left the shipping container, and you've even managed to pull off a full scale Cullen-worthy wedding reception for your brother in only three days time. You can go out there and show that beautiful specimen of a man how happy you are to be his wife! You're young and beautiful, not to mention fabulously stylish in this outfit of yours," I added, turning to the side to get a better view of myself.

I'd chosen a fly-away baby doll with matching panties. It was white with black print—flowers, leaves, and branches in honor of the way we'd met. I was sure Jasper would catch onto the significance of my outfit. He always seemed to know when something was significant or important to me.

"Alice, honey, is everything okay?" Jasper asked, knocking gently on the door. "I don't want you to rush or anything. I just wanted to check on you."

I smiled at his sweetness, suddenly feeling both calm and excited. It was our wedding night! We were married! I was Alice Cullen Hale and would be for the rest of my life. I lifted my head high and did a sexy stroll to the door, getting myself into the role of sexy new wife for him. I opened the door wide and posed for him. "Hello, Husband," I greeted, giving him a sexy smile.

His fingers and lips twitched seconds before a big smile broke out on his face. "Dressed like that, you make it really hard for me to remember how to be a gentleman."

I smirked, pleased with my effect on him. "You don't always have to be a gentleman, Jazz. I don't mind just having the man every so often."

He stepped forward, wrapping his long arms around my small body. "You deserve the gentleman because you are one amazing lady." He took my hand, kissing the back of it and then leading me over to our bed. He helped me up onto the king sized monstrosity and then followed right after.

We sat with our legs folded in front of us, our hands pressed palm to palm, and our eyes locked on each other. My hands were so much smaller than his; our wrists were even, but the base of my fingers started well before the top of his palm. To the outside observer, it probably looked like the strangest form of foreplay ever witnessed, but it had meaning for us.

Jasper smiled and my hands started to tingle. I closed my eyes, imagining his love flowing out of his hands and into mine, filling me up from through my arms, to my heart, and all the way down to my feet. I concentrated hard, wanting him to feel my love right back.

He chuckled and I opened one eye just a little to peek at him. He smiled and shook his head the slightest bit. Once again, I'd sent the wrong emotion his way. Love, lust—it was hard to keep them separate with Jasper. He was just so amazingly remarkable.

Jasper squeezed my fingers for just a second, bringing my focus back to him. I tried again, thinking of how much I loved him and how perfect this day had been with him. He nodded his head, all smiles as he looked at me. I fought the urge to laugh, not wanting to make him laugh too—he hated getting the giggles.

Jasper moved his hand up to my face, caressing my cheek and then gently closing my eyes. This was one of my favorite things that Jasper did for me. He moved me so that I was stretched out on the bed. With the lightest of touches, his fingertips ghosted over my skin, starting at my forehead. His skilled fingers massaged my temples, relaxing my mind. His hands moved down to my shoulders and worked their magic there, releasing the tension from my body.

Once Jasper was sure I was relaxed, he went back to just grazing me with his fingertips. He trailed them over my collarbones and down the insides of my arms, raising goose bumps along the way. When he reached my hands, he lifted my arms above my head, lying them on the pillows.

His fingers slid down my arms and then across my sensitive sides, making me shiver and fight the urge to giggle. His hands finally reached my hips and I tensed in anticipation, wondering where those talented fingers would go next.

And then they disappeared completely. I wanted to open my eyes and look for him, but I knew that would ruin his plans for me. Jasper's surprises were always worth the wait. I felt a slight tugging and realized he was untying the little ribbon that held my top together. The air hit my skin, raising goose bumps across my chest this time.

Jasper's thumbs barely grazed my nipples and they reacted instantly, standing at attention like two soldiers in front of their general. I couldn't hold back my giggle that time. His hands took control of the troops—okay, I really needed to stop with the army metaphors.

Jasper kissed the sensitive skin between my breasts, making a trail down to my navel and back up again. All humor and laughter melted away and was replaced with Jasper's gentle touch. His fingers and lips caressed my skin, hitting all of my sensitive spots in just the right way to drive me crazy.

He gently bit my hip, getting me to squeak and jump. I laughed and slapped his arm as he smirked at me. Jasper was the perfect lover—part tender, part playful, and always sexy. He kissed the spot he'd nipped and then pushed the edge of my underwear down just a little. He kissed the smooth skin he uncovered and then moved up, meeting my lips with his. His tongue moved against mine, letting me taste that scent I'd never named but knew only as his own. Little by little, his weight settled against me, his bare chest pressing against my own. I wrapped my small arms around his neck, wanting to draw him even closer.

"So very beautiful," he whispered, kissing my closed eyelids.

I opened my eyes and smiled seductively at him. "You're not so bad yourself, Mr. Hale."

He laughed softly and then wrapped his arms around me, moving us so that I was on top. His fingers grazed along my collarbones, removing the baby doll top completely and tossing it to the side. Those long arms of his gave him such an advantage over me as his fingertips ghosted down my spine, making me shiver and sigh in pleasure.

His large hands held onto my hips, sliding me against him and causing the most amazing friction. I rocked myself against him, wanting more of that friction, but he just laughed and moved us again. I still wondered how he managed to do that without ever crushing me. The bottom half of my outfit disappeared before I'd even settled into the mattress.

He lifted my leg, planting his lips against my ankle and then working up toward my knee. He gently bit the sensitive skin behind my knee, making me moan out. He knew so many ways to pleasure me and make me feel his love and lust in equal measure.

So agonizingly slowly, those perfect lips of his moved past my knee and onto my inner thigh. So very close to the part of me that was calling out for him. But he passed right over it, pausing just long enough to blow on my heated skin and drive me crazy. His lips touched against my other thigh and moved down toward my knee.

"Jasper, please," I begged, tugging at his shoulder.

He laughed quietly, placing one last kiss to my thigh before moving up my body and locking my lips in a heated kiss. With his usual care and compassion, he slowly joined us together, melding our bodies as husband and wife for the first of many, many wonderful times. He set a comfortable rhythm for us, leaving him free to assault my neck and shoulders with his wonderful kisses.

"My wife," he sighed against my lips, filling my heart with so much love for him. I wasn't sure how I ever managed to keep it all inside of me. This man was my entire world and I would do anything to be with him. From that first moment in the nursery, to this exact second in time, I'd carefully made every one of my choices, making sure they would lead to the happiest of outcomes for us both.

We drew closer to the edge together, but I could feel that Jasper was closer than me. Poor, poor man had been without for far too long and it was all to make me happy. My name flew from his lips in a breathy moan as his whole body shivered against mine. It was just the push I needed to find my own release.

Jasper moved us so that I could rest on top of him. His lips brushed against the top of my head and he sighed, sounding happy and content. "How do you like being my wife so far, Mrs. Hale?" he whispered.

"I like it just fine, Mr. Hale," I laughed. "But you know, I'm not opposed to you giving me more reasons to enjoy being your wife."

"Ready again so soon?" he chuckled, drawing his fingers up my back with just the right amount of pressure.

"Jasper, I can never get enough of you." I lifted my head to see his beautiful face. "There's so much love between us that it's just one never-ending cycle. And I honestly wouldn't have it any other way."

"Well in that case, can I interest my new bride in a very sensual bath?"

"What are you doing still talking?" I asked, giving him a sexy smile.

He sat up and I immediately wrapped my legs around him, holding tight. He laughed and kissed my forehead. "Alice, dear, this might work a bit better if you let me put you down."

"I have been without your touch for far too long, Jasper Hale. I'm not letting go for any reason."

He seemed shocked for a second, but quickly recovered—just in time to give me another of those passion-filled kisses that made me feel like I would explode with emotion. Yes, it was definitely going to be a good night in the Hale house. And just wait until we got into that huge tub and I got a turn at being in charge. I was going to show my new husband just how appreciate I was of him sticking with that crazy abstinence idea. We weren't doing _that_ again!

* * *

Hopefully, this chapter gave you guys a little bit of everything! We got to see Jasper and Alice have a very nice wedding night. Bella got to yell at Edward. Emmett got to be his same old goofy self. I'm not too sure how this came out because I've never written for Alice and Jasper this way before, so please let me know what you liked and didn't! Oh! Alice's dress and shoes are on my webpage listed on my profile - the regular one not the myspace one.

Special thanks to HP, my roomie extradonaire! Without her here to keep me laughing, I doubt I'd have been able to get into a good enough frame of mind to get this chapter finished. Persevere, People! Or at least that's what I'm working on! LOL!


	8. First Doctor Visit

**Happy Friday, you wonderful readers!!** If any of you are still even following along! LOL!! I'm trying to catch up so I can post more chapters. I hope to have the other half of this one up tonight or tomorrow to give you guys a two chapter weekend. Plus! Edward's apology from the club will be revealed in that second chapter.

SO! I know Bella kind of seems emotional and not really like her sarcastic self from LLC, but keep in mind that she's pregnant and missing her parents. Those first few months turn a woman upside down with changes and hormones. I'm shocked to see how many of you love Edward getting in trouble, so I'll do more of that for sure! There will also be more Alice and Jasper for chapters where she announces her own good news.

LLC was mostly fun and fluff. Do you guys want that? Or do you feel it needs drama? Sometimes, sweet is perfectly fine. I just want a general idea so I can have a better understanding of what direction I should be heading in.

And for any of you that read and loved the vampire stories, they are up for Twilight Awards. Voting is open right now on the site, which you can get to through the link on my profile page. All pictures of Alice's outfits are on my website, which is also linked to my profile page.

That's it! Go enjoy your chapter!

* * *

**DISCLAIMER:** The characters do not belong to me…they are all the creation of the wonderful Stephenie Meyer.

**Bella's POV**

"Bella," Edward groaned, pulling my hand away from my mouth for the fourth or fifth time, trying to keep me from biting my nails.

"Sorry."

He kissed the back of my hand and held it against his chest. "At this rate, you're going to start nibbling your fingertips before we even get you signed into the doctor's office."

"I'm nervous."

"That's easy to see. But _why_ are you nervous?"

"What if Dr. Jensen was wrong and my test was a false positive?"

"What made you ask that question?"

"I read that it can happen," I admitted.

"Bella, if you are going to get worked up every time you read something, I'm going to ban you from all books dealing with pregnancy," Edward said sternly.

"Just answer my question please," I begged him.

"_If_, and this is a very big if, it is a false positive, then you and I will sit down and discuss whether we want to try for a baby now or after we find a home."

"Would you want to try for one now?"

"Love, I know it's hard for you to have so many unanswered questions, but I really think it's best if we hold off on this until after your doctor's appointment."

"Okay," I sighed, giving in for now.

"Why don't we try to take your mind off of the pregnancy for a bit? We can talk about Alice's wedding."

"Can you believe how she left four empty chairs open at the dinner table?" I asked, still just as touched by it now as I had been when we'd arrived at the restaurant.

"She wanted to make sure all of our loved ones were accounted for," Edward replied. "You know, I used to worry that she could only focus on clothing, but Jasper has changed her in so many ways. He's calmed her and helped her to have more empathy for the people around her."

"I'm so glad they're married now. I know they both said that they didn't need a license or rings to be committed to each other, but there's just something about officially being husband and wife," I said, running my finger over my own wedding bands.

"It will be _extremely_ official once Esme gets the wedding announcement into the local paper," he chuckled.

I winced, remembering how uncomfortable I had felt when I had seen a picture of Edward and me splashed across the front page of the living section. Our "announcement" had taken up half of the front page. Edward had said that was perfectly natural for a family with their status.

We pulled into the parking lot of my doctor's office and Edward found us a spot not too far from the main doors. He came around the car and helped me out, wrapping his arm around my waist. Ever since I'd told him about the pregnancy last week, he'd hardly left my side for a moment. And when he was with me, he was more caring and loving than he'd ever been and that's hard for a man like Edward to accomplish. My entire life with him, every choice he'd made, no matter how small, had been to make me feel loved and happy.

"What are you thinking about so hard?" Edward asked, drawing me out of my reflective mood.

"You," I replied, smiling at him.

He chuckled and leaned down, giving me a sweet kiss on the lips. "Ready?"

"Definitely," I sighed, taking his hand and squeezing tightly.

"Relax, Bella. It's only a checkup to find out how far along you are."

"Right! Just going to find out how long I've unknowingly been carrying a life inside of me and when we might possibly get to meet the little guy."

Edward held the door open for me, making sure I walked over the threshold without tripping. I had proven many times in our life together that I could trip over air if given the chance. Although, I was getting better about it. Something about walking while balancing student papers, a briefcase, a soda, and car keys was increasing my balance and lowering my number of falls.

"Bella," Mrs. Elliot greeted with a big smile as I approached the counter. "Didn't we just see you a couple of months ago, Sweetheart?"

Mrs. Elliot had been a nurse at Dr. Johnson's office for so long that she remembered my mother being pregnant with me. She had to be in her late eighties, but she didn't look a day over fifty. She had beautiful silver hair, pale blue eyes, and a smile that seemed to never fade. And she always had a new story to tell me about my parents when I came in for my yearly check-ups.

"Oh, Bella. Is that him?" she whispered, nodding to Edward who had taken a seat in the corner.

"Yes," I replied, my face breaking out into a wide smile. "That's my Edward."

"Greek God indeed," she chuckled. "No wonder you've been on cloud nine since you met him. So! What brings you by?"

"My regular doctor did some blood work on me and he seems to think I'm pregnant."

"Bella," she squealed as she ran out from behind the counter. She threw open the door that led to the back and pulled me into a huge hug, shaking me from side to side. "Your mother must be throwing a party in Heaven right this second. I can just imagine your dad turning beet red at the number of people she's running around telling about her grandbaby being on the way."

Once again, I couldn't seem to control myself and I ended up sobbing my eyes out against this little old woman.

"Oh, Sweetheart. It's okay," she laughed, gently running her hand over my hair. "Edward, you might want to come and help me here," she chuckled when my tears still didn't slow.

"What happened?" he asked, his worry clear in his voice.

As soon as I felt his hand on my back, I turned to him, burying myself in his chest and breathing in his scent. Nothing could calm me better than being close to Edward in this way.

"I mentioned her parents and the poor dear got a bit weepy on us," Mrs. Elliot chuckled, patting my arm. "I'll just sign you in at the desk and get your paperwork ready while you calm down, Bella."

I nodded my head, sniffling too hard to answer her just yet. Edward led me over to the chairs and sat me down in his lap, holding me tightly while I calmed down.

"Bella, I know you're going through a lot of changes, but you have _got_ to calm down. You don't want to be in the middle of a Shakespeare discussion and then fall apart in front of your students."

"That would be bad," I sighed, wiping my wet cheeks on my sleeve. "But in my defense, I didn't expect what she said."

"What did she say?"

"That my mom was throwing a party and telling everyone about the baby while my dad stood around turning red and watching her. It's just…If they were here now, that's exactly what they would be doing, Edward."

"Do you want Alice to throw you a party and we can put some make-up on Jasper to make his cheeks red?" Edward asked, barely holding back his laughter.

"Nah," I grinned, playing with the collar of his shirt. "I like Jasper too much to put him through two punishments at once."

"Yes, helping Alice plan a party would be a second form of torture," Edward chuckled. "Especially since she held back so much for the wedding."

"She swears she was satisfied."

"I know. And I believe her, too. She really wanted to keep things low-key."

"Yeah, 'cause she's saving it all up to torture me when it's time for a baby shower," I grumbled.

He laughed at me, hugging me tightly and burying his face in my hair. "I won't let her go overboard."

"You can't stop her."

"I can give it my absolute best try, though."

"Thank you for that."

"Anything for you, Love."

I took his face into my hands, wanting to see those wonderful emerald eyes I loved so much. They were practically sparkling today and I knew he was just as excited as I was for this doctor's appointment. I leaned toward him, wanting to feel his lips against mine, but was interrupted long before I ever got close.

"Bella Cullen," a nurse called.

"That's you," Edward said, smiling at me.

"That's me," I agreed, too excited to even be upset about my interrupted kiss. I settle for kissing his cheek and then jumped up, grabbing his hand and pulling him along with me.

"Did you fill out the family history paperwork?" the nurse asked.

"I didn't receive any," I told her.

"Mrs. Elliot?" the nurse called.

"Yes, Mallory?" Mrs. Elliot replied.

"Bella Cullen didn't get the family history paperwork," Mallory informed her. "Dr. Johnson wants all prospective mothers to fill that paperwork out."

"I'll be handling her paperwork myself," Mrs. Elliot said, winking at me. "I'm pulling her mother's old paperwork to fill out the history."

"Thank you," I said sincerely, knowing I wouldn't have been able to answer many of the questions on my own. A horrible side effect of losing your parents early is realizing just how many questions you never got to ask them before they died.

"Alright. Right this way, Mrs. Cullen," Mallory said, waving us forward. "You'll be in exam room three. Mr. Cullen, you're welcome to go in and have a seat while I take her weight and blood pressure."

"I'd rather stay with her, if you don't mind," Edward replied, squeezing my hand reassuringly.

I smiled at him as I stepped up onto the scale.

"First baby, huh?" Mallory said, clearly amused.

"That easy to tell?" I asked.

"Sure," she laughed. "You're practically shaking and he hasn't let go of your hand yet, which is making it a bit difficult to get your correct weight."

"I'm sorry," Edward said, his face taking on a slight pink tint as he released my hand.

"It's fine," Mallory assured us. "Happens all the time."

Once my weight and blood pressure were written down—both of them perfectly fine—Mallory handed me a cup and sent me off to the bathroom while she escorted Edward to the exam room. After I had filled the cup, put my name on it, and shoved it through the secret door, I went to join Edward in the exam room.

I found him sitting in the corner, and the usual gown and cover to change into draped across the table. I went into the space behind the curtain and sat down on the bench, taking my shoes off one at a time.

"So do I get to see you in all your glory?" Edward teased.

"Nope. You get to see me get a very uncomfortable exam. From what I read, I'll be getting a full physical, including pelvic. I shouldn't have to endure the torture of the pap smear, though, since I had one so recently."

"Bella, some of these tools look absolutely barbaric," Edward noted, sounding a bit worried.

I laughed, used to seeing them spread out on the counter. "You know, Honey, maybe you should reconsider medical school. Instead of becoming a doctor, you could reinvent the tools for women's medicine."

"I might have to," he muttered, causing me to laugh once again. He could be so very protective sometimes, and I rarely minded. I knew he only did it because of how much he loved me.

I came out from the behind the curtain and modeled my gown for him. "Do I look stunning?" I teased.

"You always look stunning," Edward assured me, giving me my favorite crooked grin. "I can't help but think of how much Alice would hate it," he chuckled.

"I envision her getting pregnant, coming for her first visit, seeing the gown, and then setting the world on fire by designing fashion exam gowns. She'll be all the rage!"

Edward jumped out of his seat as soon as he realized I was getting ready to get on the exam table. He lifted me bridal style and gently set me on the table, getting me to laugh once again.

"Edward, I'm not breakable, just pregnant," I said, hugging him around his waist. I'd been feeling clingy lately, and as much as I hated it, I knew it was better to give into the feeling for now. I could be independent later on, when I wasn't anxiously waiting to find out about this baby.

"You are also known to become a klutz in the most innocent of circumstances, Love."

And there was the sentence to start yet another mood swing. I lifted my head and glared at him. "I haven't had an accident in months and you know it."

"Have I told you lately how much I love your pout?" Edward said, giving me that crooked grin that always made me melt and forgive him. That damn smile even had the power to shift a mood swing back to the other direction.

I smiled and rested my head against his chest, tightening my arms around him. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

"Good. Now press that little green button on the wall and let the doctor know it's safe to come in."

"Alright," Edward chuckled, pulling away from me. He pressed the button and then took his seat in the corner again.

Dr. Johnson entered the room pretty quickly, looking over my file as he came in. "Bella Swan who became Bella Cullen and is about to be Momma Bella," he joked, smiling at me.

"That's what we're here to find out," I said, returning his smile. "Dr. Johnson, this is my husband, Edward."

"I've heard many wonderful things about you, young man," Dr. Johnson said, shaking Edward's hand. "Your father is a brilliant surgeon, by the way."

"Yes, he is," Edward agreed, nodding his head.

"I bet if he was in the OB/GYN field, I wouldn't be seeing Bella right now," Dr. Johnson joked.

"I don't know about that," I interrupted. "I love my father-in-law, but some things should be private. Besides, you delivered me so it's only fitting that you deliver my baby, too."

"You know, I've watched you grow over the years, Bella, but right now, you look more like Renee than you ever have. That motherly glow agreed with her, too," Dr. Johnson told me.

"Uh, oh," Edward sighed as my tears and sobs started up once again. He rushed over, wrapping me up in his arms. "She's been a little emotional at the mention of her parents for the past week or so," he explained to Dr. Johnson.

"It's perfectly natural," Dr. Johnson assured us as I continued to cry into Edward's shoulder.

It took a few minutes, but I finally got my crazy emotions under control. Edward dried my cheeks with a tissue, smiling sweetly at me. This man was so perfect and he was about to go through so much because of me. I was really going to have to make sure his first ever father's day was exceptional…and his wedding anniversary gift…and his birthday gift…and the very next Christmas gift since this one had just ended.

"Bella, stop feeling guilty," Edward commanded, kissing my forehead.

"How do you know?" I blurted out.

"You have that little line right in the middle of your forehead."

"Bella, it's perfectly natural for you to get upset for what seems like no reason," Dr. Johnson said. "Feeling guilty about it will only make it worse. Besides, you have the hard job, not Edward. Sure, he has to deal with tears and running after late night snacks, but you have to grow a whole other life inside of you."

I nodded my head in agreement, having heard these same things from Rose and Esme over the past few days. Edward kissed my cheek, gave me a comforting hug, and then returned to his seat.

"Let's get this exam under way, shall we?" Dr. Johnson questioned.

"Yes, please. We're both quite anxious to know when the baby will be due," I told him.

"Do you recall the date of your last cycle?" he asked, looking down at my file again.

"It was around November the eighth. I was on an antibiotic for the flu and we think that's when I got pregnant."

"The night of the fourteenth to be exact," Edward added, a proud smile on his face.

I wanted to shoot him a glare, but I couldn't help but laugh with the look on his face. "Proud of yourself, Mister?"

"Exceedingly so," Edward chuckled.

I shook my head at him, watching Dr. Johnson turn a dial on the cardboard wheel in his hand. "What's that?" I asked.

"This is our very high-tech, extremely sophisticated tool for pinpointing due dates," Dr. Johnson said, clearly amused. "And according to this wonderful wizard, you should be due on August twentieth."

"Exactly two months after your birthday, Edward," I noted, smiling wide. It was so exciting to have a date in mind of when to expect our baby.

"This is a guess based on the date you gave. You should be six weeks along. We'll do a sonogram after your physical to see how close we are with the guess," Dr. Johnson informed us.

I took a deep breath, mentally preparing myself for the least fun part of the visit. Dr. Johnson was his usual caring self, talking me through each step of the physical. Edward literally sat on the edge of his seat throughout the entire exam, looking like he wanted to run over each time I grimaced the slightest bit. I would have liked to have smiled at him to ease his worry, but I was busy being prodded.

Dr. Johnson dumped his tray into the sink and washed his hands, signaling the end of my torture. "Bella, everything looks great. We're going to do the sonogram now and try to better pinpoint how far along you are. I promise this will be much easier on you than the exam was."

I nodded my head, letting out a deep breath. "Let's just get this all over with for today."

Dr. Johnson put on a fresh pair of gloves and walked over, holding a tube of some sort of blue gel. "Edward, you can come to her side now," he said, smiling at him. "That first exam can sometimes be rougher on the husband than the wife, but just barely," he added, winking at me.

Edward was at my side in an instant, holding my hand tightly and kissing my cheek. "I love you."

"You better," I joked, smiling for him.

"Forever," he promised, giving me the smile I loved best.

"Alright, Bella. This will be cold," Dr. Johnson warned, opening the lower half of my gown again. He squirted a good bit of the gel, and it was just as cold as he had promised. He grabbed some wand thing and pressed it into the gel while turning on a monitor. "Alright, let's see what we have here." Dr. Johnson moved the wand around a bit before smiling wide. "Right there, where you see the graininess jumping, that's your baby's heartbeat. It's too soon to hear it, but that's it beating strong and healthy. I know it doesn't look like much more than a throbbing ball right now, but that's only because it's so early. And from the look of it, you're right about that date and you're exactly six weeks along. By your next appointment, we'll be able to hear the heartbeat."

I was crying once again as I looked at the image on the screen, marveling at how lucky I was be able to experience something so miraculous and wonderful. I was going to be a mother. Edward and I were going to be parents, our own little family.

I looked up at Edward, completely shocked to find that his emerald eyes were moist as he stared at the screen, watching the little picture throb. I couldn't tear my eyes away from his face, mesmerized by the amount of emotion he was letting me see. Edward tended to always look calm, no matter what he was feeling, trying to be the strong one in our relationship. He usually one let his walls down when it was the two of us alone in our room. For him to be so open, so vulnerable like this, I knew it had to be because he was just affected by the sight of our baby as I was.

"When will we be able to know what we're having?" I asked the doctor, all of my attention still focused on my amazing husband.

"Do you have a preference already?" Dr. Johnson asked, sounding amused again.

"A boy would be very nice," I replied, pushing Edward's messy bronze hair away from his green eyes.

Edward finally tore his gaze away from the screen and looked down at me. He smiled the biggest smile I'd ever seen on his face and pulled me into his arms, hugging me tightly. "I love you," he whispered, his normally velvet voice choked with emotion.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and held just as tightly to him. "I love you more."

"Not possible," he chuckled.

Dr. Johnson cleared his throat, and Edward and I laughed as we let go of each other. "We'll be able to find that out when you are around twenty-four weeks, assuming the baby decides to cooperate on the day we do your ultrasound," Dr. Johnson said.

"What's that mean?" Edward asked, his brow furrowing a bit. I wanted to reach up and smooth that worry line away, but I knew I needed to pay attention to the doctor first.

"Sometimes, the babies get a bit camera shy and refuse to turn the right way for us. It can take us a few weeks to finally have them facing the right way to make sure of the sex," Dr. Johnson explained.

"That completely sounds like our luck," I laughed.

"Well, unless you have questions for me, we are done, Bella," Dr. Johnson said, wiping the gel off my stomach.

"Yes! Morning sickness. I can't stand it," I told him.

"Your mother hated it, too," Dr. Johnson chuckled. "I'll tell you exactly what I told her. Get used to eating crackers in bed before you get up to start your day. Also, eat smaller meals, but more of them. Liquids are also important. I have a sheet that I can give you with the full list of tips. But between you and me, nothing worked as well as the crackers for your mother."

"I feel really lucky to have you as my doctor," I said sincerely. "I would never have known that about my mother if you hadn't said it," I sniffled.

"She was an unforgettable woman, Bella. Just like you," Dr. Johnson replied, patting my hand. "Now, get dressed, get out of here, and go share your news with your family. And, Bella, you need to get plenty of rest. I know you have a job, but you're going to have to schedule in a daily nap to keep up your strength. And don't try to refuse. I had your mother as a patient and she tried every excuse there was for not taking naps and I still got her to take them."

"Alright," I laughed. "Besides, Edward heard you and he'll never let me get away with skipping naps now."

"Very good. I'll leave you to get dressed. The nurse will have a prescription for prenatal vitamins at the counter for you. I want you to fill it and start taking them right away. It's important to stay healthy," Dr. Johnson said. "I'll also have her schedule your next appointment for three weeks from now. If you think of any questions, or feel overly tired at all, call me right away, Isabella. Are we clear?"

"Yes, Sir," I chuckled, glad all over again that he was my doctor. I knew I was in good hands with him, and so was my baby.

"Thank you, Dr. Johnson," Edward replied, shaking his hand.

"I'll see you both soon," Dr. Johnson said as he stepped out of the room.

Once I was dressed again, we headed out front and collected all of the paperwork. Edward drove us straight to the pharmacy to fill my prescription, and then we were finally able to go home. As soon as we made it into our room, I stretched out across the bed, groaning at how wonderful it felt to not be on my feet. Edward chuckled at me as he pulled my shoes off.

"Stay," he ordered, disappearing from our bedroom. He returned a few minutes later with a glass of water and my vitamins.

I sat up long enough to take them and drink some of the water, and then I returned to the comfort of my bed. And then I decided my jeans were way too annoying, so I struggled my way out of them as my husband chuckled under his breath. I was too tired to even bother being irritated with him, though. I unhooked my bra and yanked it out of my shirt, then snuggled myself deep under the covers.

With seconds, Edward crawled up behind me, pulling me against his chest and resting his hand on my stomach. He placed butterfly kisses along my neck as his hand rubbed circles on my stomach—it felt so amazingly good. "I love you," he whispered.

I was too tired to speak, so I nodded my head a little. This had been a long, but very happy day and I was exhausted—probably from all of the crying I'd done at the doctor's office. I just wanted to stay right here in my husband's loving arms and not move for a long while.

"Sleep, Bella," Edward whispered before starting to hum my lullaby. With me being so tired, and his hand rubbing those soothing circles against my skin, it didn't take long at all for sleep to overtake me.


	9. Close to You LMN

**DISCLAIMER:** The characters do not belong to me…they are all the creation of the wonderful Stephenie Meyer.

** You are warned: There's a lemon in this chapter for our Edward and Bella. It's not a big one or anything, but it's there for those of you who don't like such things. **

**Bella's POV**

When I woke up, the shadows on the wall were long and low, letting me know it was late afternoon. I stretched and rolled over, expecting to find Edward, but only finding an empty bed. I frowned, wondering where he could have gotten off to.

The bathroom door opened and I had my answer. "Hello, Sleepyhead," he greeted, smiling at me.

It took me a moment to remember how to speak as I took in the glory of a nearly naked Edward standing in the doorway in just his dark gray boxer briefs. "I missed you," I said, holding my arms out to him.

Edward was in my arms, embracing me tightly, within seconds. "I love you," he murmured, his lips pressed against the sensitive skin of my neck.

"I love you, too. I missed you."

"You already said that," he chuckled, leaning up and kissing my forehead.

"It's still true. You smell good," I sighed, pulling myself closer to him.

"I just got out of the shower."

"You took one without me?" I asked, pretending to pout.

"I'm not opposed to taking another," he teased, his voice sounding perfectly velvety.

I smiled and kissed the part of his chest closest to my lips. "Good, because my stomach still feels sticky from the gel and I don't want to spend anymore time away from you."

"Then we should definitely conserve the Earth's finite resources and shower together," Edward said, rolling us to the edge of the bed and then standing up with me in his arms.

"What ever are you doing, Mr. Cullen?" I asked, trying not to smile at his antics.

"Well, Mrs. Cullen, I am taking my wife into the bathroom, where I will undress her, get her into the shower, and hopefully, she'll be thankful enough to allow me to worship her gorgeous body."

"I think that sounds like an excellent plan," I said, unable to hold back my grin any longer. "And we should definitely take advantage of it while we can. Before long, I'll be a big, bloated whale and sex in the shower will be a thing of the past."

"You will never be a whale, and it will only be on a short hiatus," he chuckled, setting me down on the floor and then turning on the shower.

Once he had removed all of our clothes, we stepped into the shower together. The warm water felt wonderful as it cascaded down my back. Edward put his head under the shower, drenching his hair, and then shook his head at me.

The water droplets were cooler than the shower's water and I yelped from the change in temperature. "Edward," I laughed, trying to protect my face with my hands as he shook his head at me again. "What are you doing?"

He laughed deep in his chest and pulled me into his arms, kissing my cheek. "I just wanted to hear that beautiful laugh of yours."

I lifted my arms, wrapping them around his neck, and pressed my body against his. His eyes closed as a small moan escaped his lips. His arms wound around my waist, holding me tightly, while he moved his head to rest on my shoulder, lightly nuzzling my neck with his nose. "I love you," he sighed, sounding perfectly content.

"I love you, too."

Edward started to hum a tune, one I'd never heard before, and we swayed together under the cascading water.

I laughed again. "Only my wonderful husband would think to have us dance in the shower."

He kissed my shoulder, but didn't say anything in reply.

I tried to be in the moment with him, enjoying this amazingly sweet gesture of his, but my curiosity had taken over and I needed to know something. I shrugged my shoulder, getting Edward to lift his head, and took his face into my hands. "Edward, what were you thinking when you were looking at the picture on the monitor this morning?"

He smiled and kissed my wet cheek. "I was thinking that it was the most amazing thing I've ever seen in my life, and there will never be anything I can do to repay you for the miracle you are bringing into our life."

"Hey, he's half yours, you know," I teased.

"Yes," he chuckled. "But he's growing inside of you," he added, putting his hand over my stomach and holding it there. "I love you, Bella. I'm so happy about this baby."

"Good," I said, kissing his lips. "Because I have never been happier in my entire life."

His crooked grin covered his face and his green eyes sparkled. "Do you truly mean that?"

"I would never lie to you about something so important," I promised him.

His grin actually managed to widen some more before he pressed his lips to mine in a sweet kiss. I loved Edward's kisses—not that I had anything to compare them to or would ever want to compare them. Something about the way he could make them so tender and loving, but raw with passion at the same time…It just made melt into his arms, wishing I never needed to stop kissing him.

I had to pull away much sooner than I was used to, gasping for breath as I clung to Edward. "I'm not going to like that either," I muttered.

"What?" he chuckled, probably confused by my outburst.

"I can't kiss you for as long now, it seems," I sighed. "I already feel like I don't get to kiss you nearly long enough."

"Then we'll just have to have lots of short kisses," he said. He immediately started to cover my neck in small kisses, lightly sucking on my skin.

"Don't leave a mark," I sighed, titling my head to give him more access to my neck. "Em won't like it."

"Your very scary brother went home yesterday, Love," Edward chuckled. "I can mark you all I want."

"Okay, but you have to explain that mark to my students."

"They're college students, Bella. They already know what it means."

"Edward," I warned.

"I'll buy you some turtleneck shirts," he murmured, continuing to assault my neck with his kisses.

"I hate turtlenecks."

He sighed before placing one final kiss against my neck. "Okay. You win."

"The rest of me was starting to feel neglected anyway," I teased, hiding my smile from him.

"Oh, well we certainly can't have that," he said before lifting my chin and covering my lips with his.

Edward's hands traveled up my sides and cupped my breasts, just as he'd done thousands of times before. Only this time, it hurt like hell. I jumped away from him, cursing under my breath.

"What?" he asked, looking completely panic-stricken. "What's wrong, Bella?"

"That hurt," I whined, not quite daring to cross my arms in front of me.

"What hurt?"

"When you grabbed my boobs," I explained.

"I didn't think I was _grabbing_ them, but I'm sorry all the same. Have they been bothering you lately?"

"A little sore, but I haven't really paid much attention with everything that's been going on."

"Bella, you have to pay attention to yourself first and foremost," he cautioned, carefully pulling me back into his arms. "I know you worry about being selfish, but this is one time in your life when you _have_ to be selfish. Do you understand?"

"Yes," I groaned.

"If it bothers you that much, think of it in these terms: you are focusing on our baby by focusing on yourself."

"That does sound better."

Edward lowered his head so that he was looking right at me. "Then why are you still looking so grumpy?"

"Because we have to go shopping. And I warn you right now, Edward Cullen. If you let Alice find out we went shopping without her, I will make you seriously regret it."

"Why are we going without her?" he asked, looking completely confused.

"Because this isn't the sort of shopping I would feel comfortable having her along on. Not to mention that she would make a total spectacle of it."

"Bella, please. I can't read your mind and you're talking in circles."

"I need some new bras, Edward. Part of the reason I'm sore is that I'm too swollen for the ones I have."

"And you didn't mention this sooner because?" he asked, a familiar aggravated look on his face. He truly couldn't stand to hear that I had denied myself something for any reason. He was always so focused on making sure I was happy and that I had everything I could possibly ever want or need. It was incredibly sweet of him, but also a bit annoying because I didn't need or want much—I just wanted him.

"Because we were right in the middle of the holidays with our family home for a short amount of time and it was at the bottom of my list of things to do," I defended.

"Isabella," he sighed.

"Don't use that tone with me," I pleaded, already feeling guilty enough for all the different emotions I'd inflicted on him in just one day. "I've already promised to put myself first, so give me a break. I'm sorry that the idea of shopping for a new bra with Alice filled me with enough fear to keep wearing my old one, but I can only take so much of an exuberant pixie before I want to yank my hair out. And with the way I've been feeling lately…" I didn't even finish my sentence, I just started crying all over again. Stupid emotions. Stupid bras. Stupid shopping.

"Bella, relax," Edward cooed, holding me close. "It's okay. We'll take care of it together and Alice will never know. I promise."

"I'm so sorry. I totally ruined the mood."

"Hey, I came in here wanting to be close to you. Last time I looked, you were naked and in my arms—that seems pretty close to me."

"How do you always do that?" I sniffled, relaxing against him.

"Do what?"

"Say the perfect thing to make me feel better?"

"It's my job."

"Well, you're really good at it," I laughed, wiping away my tears. "Like at the club. And how do you come up with those lines so fast?"

"Living with you, and that rapid-fire thought process of yours, I've learned to think on my feet. That, and the truth is easy to say."

I put my arms around his neck and smiled up at him. "Tell me again, please."

"The whole apology, or just the end?" he asked, giving me that crooked smile that always melted me.

"The whole thing."

"Isabella, I'm sorry. I'm sorry that there's nothing more I fear than a life without you, and it turns me into a tyrant and an ass. I'm sorry that I'm making things more stressful for you rather than less. I'm sorry that my attempts to protect you always seem to frustrate you and ruin your good mood. I'm sorry I don't seem to know the right things to say and do because I've never been a husband or a father before and there's no book in the world that could explain your beautifully complex mind to me. Bella, I love you so very much, and you have every right to be angry with me. You are strong, independent, intelligent, and so amazingly wonderful and I have to learn to remember that, no matter how scared I get. All I wanted tonight was to be near you, so even though I don't deserve it, please don't be angry enough to spend the night away from me. You mean more to me than simple words can ever say and I promise to try harder to calm down and back off. I love you, Isabella."

"You are such a liar," I chuckled, kissing his lips lightly. "You can convey so much to me with the simplest of words. And only you would be capable of a complete speech when faced with an angry pregnant woman."

"Thank you," he chuckled, kissing the top of my head. "Now, let's get you cleaned up before the hot water goes away." He reached behind me and grabbed the sponge, holding it out to me.

I lifted an eyebrow at him, waiting for his explanation—he'd never handed me the sponge, not even the first time we'd ever showered together.

"I'm not sure of all the places you're tender right now, so I thought it might be better to let you wash yourself this once," he explained.

"My feelings are a lot more tender than my boobs, so before you end up needing to give a new speech, I think you better just put some soap on that sponge and get busy with the washing," I told him.

"This is definitely going to be an interesting experience," he chuckled, grabbing the bottle of strawberry scented body wash.

"Get used to it, Daddy! We've got quite a few months left to deal with the ups and downs of this pregnancy," I said, putting some conditioner in my hair while he got the sponge ready.

"Your wish, my command, Mommy," he chuckled.

Once I was done with my hair, he twirled his finger at me and I followed his instructions, turning so that my back was to him. He moved my wet hair so that it was draped over one shoulder and very tenderly, began to rub the sponge against my neck and back.

"I'm glad you're still letting me do this," he said, rubbing the sponge in soothing circles across my lower back.

"You say that now," I sighed, loving the way my muscles relaxed under his tender touch. "Just wait until I'm huge and can't even see my own feet."

"Then, I'll still do this, but to make you feel better, I'll describe your feet to you and let you know how they're doing."

"Ed-ward," I laughed.

"Bel-la," he chuckled, having moved on to the backs of my thighs and calves. "I love you, Bella. I don't care how much weight you gain. I only care that you and the baby are healthy."

"I want to ask you a question and I hope you can promise to give me an honest answer."

"Is this a trick to see how I react to you crying once again today?" He tapped the back of my leg. "Turn please."

"No," I said, turning toward him and looking right into those emerald green eyes I loved. "I'm being serious and I hope I won't cry."

"Alright," he replied with a cautious look on his face. "What's your question?"

"How does Em really feel about the baby?"

Edward was suddenly very interested in focusing on my legs as he washed my shin and knee. "Bella, you know that Emmett loves you very much."

"I do."

"And you know he worries about you, as if you were his child and not just his little sister."

"I agree with that, too."

"He has some…_concerns_, but overall, he _is_ happy about the baby and for us."

"What are his concerns?"

"For starters, he would like to see us in our own home before the baby comes. He's also worried about you getting to return to teaching after the baby is born. Basically, he wants to make absolute sure that you're really, truly happy and not settling for anything because of the baby."

"As if you would _ever_ allow me to settle for _anything_," I yelled, causing my voice to echo in the enclosed space. "Sorry."

"It's fine," Edward assured me as he stood up and held me in his arms. "I know you're mad right now, but just try to cool off before you talk to him. He really does have your best interest at heart."

"No, that's you. Emmett just wants to _control_."

"No, Bella. He and I had a talk and he even apologized for putting himself in the middle of our decisions in the past. He really does want the best for you. He's offered for him and me to fix up your parents' house and sell it, and then split the profits so we can afford a home of our own."

"He really said that?" I asked, wanting so much for Emmett to be that accepting. He'd never really forgiven Edward for the way we had run off to get married—he liked to pretend that I just went along with whatever Edward said, knowing full well just how stubborn I could be. And I had wanted nothing more that night than to become Mrs. Edward Cullen, so that was exactly what I'd done. Edward had flown us out to Vegas and we'd gotten married in the cutest little chapel.

"Yes, Love. He did," Edward said, drawing my attention back to him.

I could tell from the look on his face that Edward was being perfectly honest—not that he would ever lie to me. More like sugarcoat. "The big bear," I sniffled, fighting back the tears that wanted to come. "He can really be sweet sometimes."

"He loves you, Bella."

"Yeah, but you love me more," I said, smiling up at him. Damn these mood swings were nuts! I really needed to figure out how to control these things better. Maybe I'd call Rose tonight.

"Absolutely," Edward chuckled. He lowered his head and kissed me sweetly, but I wanted something much more than sweet right now.

I bit his bottom lip lightly and received a wonderful moan from him in reply. "I love you."

"I love you, too. Stop distracting me so we can get out of this shower while the water's still warm," he said.

"Yes, sir," I chuckled.

Edward was extra careful as he washed my chest and stomach, knowing full well he was teasing me into a frenzy. But that was okay—I would get him back soon enough. I behaved myself through the rest of my very sensual shower and even through him drying me off, although it was extremely hard to keep my hands to myself by that point.

I wrapped the big, fluffy towel around my body and headed into the bedroom, leaving Edward to dry himself off alone in the bathroom. I quickly ran over to my dresser and pulled out the dark blue, silk nightgown Edward had gotten me for Christmas. I slipped it over my head, tugging at the parts that stuck to my still damp skin until it was sitting just right and hugging all the right parts. I quickly made my way over to the bed and stretched out, resting my back against the headboard. I made my face as innocent as possible and waited for Edward to come out and see his surprise.

"So do you feel up to discussing the house thing?" Edward asked, walking out of the bathroom in his boxer briefs, with his towel over his head.

"We can talk if you like," I said, trying not to laugh. I always felt a little silly when I was trying to be seductive for him, though he swore I didn't even have to try.

"Well, I—" was all he got out because he had pulled his towel off his head and found his surprise.

"Does your speechless state mean this looks as good on me as you thought it would?" I asked.

"It's better," he said breathlessly.

He was on the bed with me so fast that I hardly saw him move across the room. His hands grabbed my hips possessively as his lips moved hungrily with mine. His tongue barely flicked my lip and I eagerly opened my mouth for him, letting his tongue explore and wrap around mine.

We didn't get to enjoy the kiss for long, though. I had to tear myself away to gulp in some fresh air. Edward didn't seem to mind, moving his lips to the hollow behind my ear and grazing parts of my neck. My hands went into his hair, tangling in the messy silkiness, and using it to steer his kisses where I wanted them most.

"Edward," I sighed, loving the feel of him against me.

"Too much weight?" he asked, immediately pulling away from me.

"No, it was perfect," I pouted. "Come back."

He chuckled at me, but came closer, lightly pressing his body against mine. I grabbed his shoulders and he allowed me to pull him just the tiniest bit closer. I chuckled to myself, thinking about how overprotective Edward could be, but my laughter was quickly forgotten when he pressed his lips against my skin. My skin tingled wherever his hands and lips touched me, just as it always did. I wondered if this was just because of how much we loved each other, or if it was just Edward himself. I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if it was him—he was practically perfect after all. And not because he did everything right the first time, either. It was because he never stopped trying to make things right for us. A simple "I'm sorry" would be fine for me, but Edward always gave huge loving ones, wanting me to know just how much he wanted to fix whatever mistake he'd made.

He started kissing my shoulder, slowly moving across my body to my other shoulder. My hands wandered down toward his hips, loving the way his muscles clenched beneath my fingers. I'd just managed to hook my fingers in his waistband when he pulled away once again. A loud groan escaped me and Edward chuckled at my impatience.

"Patience, Isabella." I knew he was trying to sound stern, but I could see in his gorgeous green eyes that he wanted this just as much as I did. He was just trying to be protective Edward still.

"Edward, please don't treat me differently. At least not in this one area. I need to feel like one part of our life together isn't going to completely change."

"Silly Bella," he sighed, holding me tightly against him. "I can't ignore the fact that you're carrying our baby and need to be treated with care."

"You can't hurt me or the baby, Edward." I put my hand up against his cheek, and looked into his green eyes. "You could never hurt me."

He chuckled and shook his head at me. "Why must you always ask for things I can't give you?"

"You can, you just don't want to because you're in Protector Edward mode. But I want Husband Edward that loves his wife and wants to have _amazing_ sex with her."

Edward buried his face in my hair, trying to cover up his snort, but it was too loud for that.

"Please, Edward?" I whispered, running my short fingernails along his back. "Please love me."

"I do love you, Bella," he said, lifting his head and looking down at me. "I love you more than anything or anyone in the entire world."

"Then please love me like you normally do, at least for tonight. Please."

"You are going to be the death of me, Isabella Cullen," he replied, shaking his head the slightest bit.

I smiled in victory as his lips started to inch closer to mine. The kiss was everything I wanted from him, full of love and tenderness and so much passion that it made my head spin…Or maybe it was just me forgetting to breathe again.

Ever so slowly, his fingers inched my nightgown up my body and then finally pulled it over my head. His eyes roamed across every inch of exposed skin and his lips followed soon after. He finally stopped the sweet torture to lay a searing kiss on my lips, and I wondered if this was anything close to what Heaven might be like. Of course, any place where Edward was at, was Heaven to me.

When his lips finally left mine, they stayed attached to my sensitive skin, moving along my neck and to that spot behind my ear. "I love you," he whispered so softly that I almost missed the words.

Edward was enjoying his slow progress, getting his lips around every single inch of my chest and stomach, while I wanted him to hurry up so that I could feel him inside of me. Nothing could compare to being one with him and having his body line up just right with mine. Think of the most amazing thing you've ever felt in your entire life and multiply that by a hundred and you can sort of understand what he was able to make me feel.

As if he could read my mind, Edward lifted his head, silently asking me for permission with those dazzling, green eyes of his. I nodded my head the best I could and he smiled, finally returning his lips to mine as he slowly slid into me. My moan was so deep and loud that I knew I should be embarrassed—but I was enjoying this too much to care. I was drowning in the pleasure of Edward making love to me and I didn't give a damn who heard us. I would care later on and probably be red in the face for days, but right now, there was only the feeling of drawing closer to the edge with the man I loved.

As much as I didn't want to admit it, this much slower and sweeter version of our love-making was almost better than the way we normally came together. I wasn't breathing nearly as hard so it was easier to answer all of the whisperings of devotion that Edward showered me with. Part of me had wanted to be annoyed at his cheating—he'd never actually promised to do as I'd asked, so he was free to set whatever pace he wanted to. But how could I ever be annoyed for long with someone so focused on making me happy?

My release came seconds after his next thrust, hitting me fast and hard, causing my entire body to quiver from the pleasure of it. I was so lost to it that I wasn't even sure if Edward had come along for the ride with me or not. I'd probably feel guilty about that later, but right now, I was just happy to be in his arms.

When I finally became coherent again, I found myself resting on his heaving chest with his hands stroking my hair. "I love you, Isabella Cullen," he said, love and tenderness dripping from each word uttered in that velvet voice of his.

"Love you, too," I sighed, too exhausted to say more or even really move.

We stayed that way for a long while before Edward said that it was time to get ready for dinner. Esme had mentioned this morning that she wanted to cook for us so there was no question of not going downstairs.

After finally getting out of bed—we played "one more minute" about ten times—Edward and I dressed in our pajamas, planning to bum around the house for the rest of the night. We headed downstairs and found Esme in the kitchen, cooking something that smelled spectacular—at least it did to me.

"What are you making?" I asked, watching her stir the pot in front of her.

"I have a chicken and broccoli casserole in the oven and I am making green beans to go along with it," Esme replied.

"Smells wonderful," I told her.

"Thank you, Dear." She put down the spoon and turned toward us, chuckling a bit. "I see you both are enjoying having the day off."

"Dr. Johnson said to make sure Bella gets plenty of rest," Edward said, holding me in his arms. "We thought staying in our pajamas was a good way to accomplish that."

I smiled and puckered my lips at him, watching his grin grow bigger before he finally leaned down and granted me my kiss.

"It's good to see you both so happy," Esme said.

Edward smiled and gave me a chaste kiss on my lips. "It's easy to be happy with Bella."

"Esme, you raised yourself one very perfect son," I told her, pulling Edward's arms tighter around me.

"He has his days," she chuckled.

"Thanks, Mom," he said, rolling his eyes.

"Well, you did have that brief stint where you wouldn't even let your own mother hug you," Esme chided, slapping his arm with her dishtowel.

"I guess I sort of deserved that," he admitted. "Lucky for us all that Bella came into our lives, huh?"

"Very," Esme agreed, smiling sweetly at me. "So! When can I expect to hold my grandbaby?"

I laughed, completely not expecting that to be the next words out of her mouth. "According to Dr. Johnson, it should be around August 20th."

"So that puts you in your sixth week. You have a ways to go with the morning sickness. Did he give you any tips that you haven't already heard from Rosalie and me?" she asked.

"Not really," I replied. "He did say the only thing that worked for my mother was eating crackers in bed before she got up and started her day. I can't get over how much he remembers about my parents."

"Between the doctor and the little old nurse up front, Bella spent most of her appointment crying," Edward teased, nuzzling my cheek with his nose.

"Which meant Edward spent most of that time holding me and trying to calm me down," I chuckled. "But it was nice to get to learn those things about my mom. And he did a sonogram, too, Esme!" I added, getting excited about it all over again. "There wasn't much to see yet, but we could see the rhythm of the baby's heartbeat. It was so amazing! And Dr. Johnson says we'll be able to hear it at my next appointment."

"They really have come so far now from the days when I was pregnant with Alice and Edward," Esme mused.

"Hello, family," Carlisle greeted.

"Hello, Dear," Esme said, rushing over and hugging him tightly. "The kids were just telling me about the doctor's appointment this morning."

"How did it go?" Carlisle asked, kissing my cheek and then shaking Edward's hand.

"Good," Edward answered. "Bella and the baby are doing great so far. She's six weeks along and due around August 20th. Dr. Johnson gave us a list of things to do for Bella's morning sickness, and he also prescribed her some vitamins and plenty of naps."

"Well, it seems like you're taking the nap part seriously," Carlisle joked, pointing at our pajamas.

"We're enjoying the calm after the storms that are Alice and Emmett," I chuckled.

"Yes, the house is definitely quieter now," Esme agreed. "And by Monday, I'll probably start missing them all again."

"Monday," I groaned. "Back to work."

"I thought you wanted to go back to work?" Edward questioned.

"I do. I love my students. I'm just not looking forward to the meeting with the head of my department. I have to let him know that he'll need a replacement for me to cover at least the beginning of the fall session," I explained.

"He'll understand, Bella," Edward assured me. "I'm sure he won't have a problem with it at all."

"I know, but I'm still nervous," I told him.

"You wouldn't be our Bella if you weren't nervous about something," Carlisle teased, winking at me.

"Yeah, I guess so," I chuckled. I tugged on Edward's arms since he was still holding me tightly. "I really want to sit down now, so either let go or move me over to the table."

Edward chuckled as he let go of me. "Careful walking over there on your own."

I poked my tongue at him and he laughed in response.

"Edward, you shouldn't tease Bella like that. It's been a long time since she fell over her own feet," Esme said, defending me.

"Yeah, but when she did, she did it with such flair," Edward replied, smirking as he looked right at me.

"Sure, sure," I sighed. "Make fun of the poor, pregnant woman who will probably end up with even worse balance issues in the months to come."

Edward walked over to me and pressed his lips to my forehead. "Don't fret, Love. I'll be right here to catch you if your klutziness comes back."

"I love you, Edward," I said sincerely, reaching out my arms for a hug.

He instantly granted my request, holding tightly to me. "I love you, too, Isabella."

I could hear all the promises behind his simple words and it made my heart soar. Edward really would be with me every step of the way through this pregnancy and beyond. And as long as I had Edward by my side, there was nothing to fear. Or so I was going to believe.

* * *

Lovely Readers,

Thanks for letting me know how you feel about fluff versus drama! Appreciate the help! Any ideas on what sort of drama you'd like to see would be appreciated. You guys are being so patient with the weekly posts and you should all get to add a little something to the story to make it part yours! All ideas will get credited to the lovely reader! I know where this is going--it's just the getting there that's taking me a while. Hence asking if you want drama during the pregnancy! LOL!


	10. Making Repairs

**DISCLAIMER:** The characters do not belong to me…they are all the creation of the wonderful Stephenie Meyer.

**Making Repairs…**

**Bella's POV**

I was staring at the closet—okay, so I was actually glaring at it, but damn it I was frustrated! I'd _just_ gone shopping with Edward for maternity clothing. Okay, so maybe it had been a couple of weeks, but really! How the heck could I have gained enough weight already to have outgrown my jeans?

I tried once more to get the button to fit into the stupid hole…And it still wouldn't go. I stomped my way out of the pants, had a fight with them while trying to ball them up, and finally managed to throw them back into the stupid closet. They didn't go nearly as far as I wanted and one of the legs was hanging out of the closet. So I did what any frustrated, pregnant woman did…I sat down and cried. No wonder Rose had spent so much time home in the beginning of her pregnancy—she didn't want us to see how much of a crazy woman her hormones made her. And now I was living it!

"Bella, what's wrong, dear?" Esme asked, wrapping her arms around me. I hadn't even heard her come into the room.

"Oh, Esme! It's everything!" I cried, latching onto her. "I keep snapping at Edward. I either can't keep my food down or eat too much of it. I'm getting behind on _everything_ because I have to take those damn naps! And to top it all off, I can't find pants to wear today."

"I know something that will cheer you right up, Bella. Would you like to know what it is?" Esme asked in her calm, motherly voice. I relaxed in her arms, glad to have her with me during my melt-down. "You're going to be surprised when you realize how simple this is and how much better it makes you feel," Esme continued. "Bella, you're having a baby. Inside you right this very second is a part of you and a part of Edward, and that baby will be the most beautiful thing in your life for the rest of your life."

"But I—"

"Oh, hush, child," Esme chuckled, holding me close and rocking me like any other mother would do to her upset child. "Your body is constantly changing and adjusting to help this new life grow. You aren't going to feel like yourself for quite a few more weeks, but you _will_ get there, Bella. You just need some help to make it through. Now, one of things I did was to put away all of my regular clothing so that I wouldn't accidentally grab it instead of the maternity wear. It keeps away the temptation of trying on your normal clothes, and it also keeps you from accidentally grabbing the wrong pair of pants and working yourself into a tizzy over nothing." Esme leaned forward and snagged the evil pair of pants. She pulled the tag out and looked it over. "Just as I'd suspected," she chuckled. "I made this mistake three times before putting my normal clothes away." She held the label toward me and I felt my jaw drop. All of that aggravation and I'd grabbed the _wrong_ pair of jeans!

"Edward and Emmett are going to tease me relentlessly," I muttered.

"Really? Who's going to tell them? Because I personally don't think it's any of their business. They are not now, nor will they ever be, a pregnant woman trying to adjust to supporting two lives with one body. They can take their manly little opinions and put them where the sun never peeks for all I care."

"Esme," I gasped, never having heard her speak so frankly before.

"Bella, dear, I am a woman first and foremost," she chuckled, kissing my forehead. "And in Edward's defense—which I must take by motherly law—his father didn't get things right on the first try either. There were many accidentally provoked tears during my pregnancy with Alice. With Edward, Carlisle worked a lot harder at keeping the tears away."

"Edward's afraid," I whispered. Part of me was worried saying the words out loud would make them truer than they already were.

"I'm sure he is, Dear. Being a father for the first time is a very scary thing for nearly all men. But you must know how very happy he is and that it far outweighs his concerns."

"It's not fatherhood that has him frightened, Esme. It's me. I've got bad genes."

"What on Earth are you talking about, Sweetheart?" Esme asked, tilting my face up to hers just like Edward had done so many times before.

"My family has trouble with their pregnancies. Lots of miscarriages and bad births and stuff." I wasn't really all that surprised when she didn't say anything in reply. "Of course you already knew. He would have wanted Carlisle's medical opinion, and you have no secrets in this house. Well, let me have it! Tell me how silly I am for even walking around in my condition. I should be on bed rest, letting Edward wait on me hand and foot."

"I will do no such thing! And I will personally deal with anyone who dares to tell you such a thing. Isabella, you are not your family. Yes, their medical history affects you, but as long as you follow all of your doctor's orders, you'll be just fine. It's not all in the genes, Sweetheart. I had no family history of miscarriage, but I lost a baby before Alice and two before Edward. And then I lost the ability to have any more at all."

"What do you think made the difference with Alice and Edward?"

"Well, with the first baby, I didn't even realize I was pregnant until I had lost it. With Alice, I just felt like there was no force on Earth that could keep her from coming into the world. The first baby after her, I took for granted, thinking I was out of the woods, and the second baby…I think I worried the poor dear to death. So when I suddenly found myself pregnant with Edward, I just decided to enjoy every bit of that pregnancy for as long as it lasted. I think it's why he was such a calm little thing," she chuckled.

"Do you think that can work for me? Just enjoying the pregnancy and not worrying about anything?"

"I think whether it works or not, it's exactly what you should do. I know it's difficult right now with the morning sickness and the emotionality of it all, but these will pass soon enough, Bella."

"Is Edward still going to love me months from now?"

"What on Earth made you ask such a silly question?" Esme laughed.

"I'm not his Bella right now. I'm moody, and I cry over everything, and I _yell_, Esme. I think I actually ran him off this morning."

"Would you like to tell me what happened?"

"Well, I was sitting in front of the toilet, waiting to see if I was done being sick for the morning. Edward asked if I knew what I wanted for breakfast. I told him I'd get something later, and he started fussing about nutrients and breakfast being the most important meal of the day. So I told him to take his breakfast and…well, do that thing with the sun you talked about earlier."

"My foolish, foolish boy," Esme chuckled. "His father made that very same mistake when I was pregnant with Alice. Only he took it a step further. He'd actually come into the room with a tray full of breakfast foods. The smell hit me like a ton of bricks and that was all it took to set my temper off. I said to him, 'Carlisle Cullen, if you don't get that food out of here right this instant, they'll be picking those bacon strips out of the oddest places when I'm done with you'."

"No way!" I gasped, looking up at Esme. She was always so sweet and calm.

"Yes, way," she laughed, tucking some of my hair behind my ear. "I wasn't myself that morning. I was a hormonal pregnant woman with a weak stomach and a short temper."

"Did Carlisle forgive you for snapping at him that way?"

"Of course he did, Sweetheart. He knew that no matter what I said in the moment, I still loved him with all of my heart. You know, some women have a perfectly glorious pregnancy without an ounce of sickness or temper. And then there's you and me, struggling with both the changes and the guilt over our behavior. And then there's Rosalie, who thoroughly enjoyed being treated like a fragile queen. She knew it was the one time in her life when she could be a little selfish without feeling guilty for it since it was all for the baby."

"And Em and Rose are more in love than ever," I mused, thinking about how they were hardly ever without each other. "Do you think Edward would like it if I brought lunch out to him and Emmett?" I asked, looking up at Esme.

"I think they would both love it. I'll help you make lunch and we'll go together. That way, you can have a few minutes alone with Edward and I'll keep Emmett entertained."

"Thanks, Esme," I said sincerely, hugging her tightly.

"You are so very welcome, Bella."

**Edward's POV**

"Get a move on, Tutor-boy," Emmett yelled, looking down at me from the roof. "This roof isn't going to patch itself."

"Where did you even learn how to do this?" I asked, starting to climb up the ladder.

"Spent a lot of time with my dad," Emmett shrugged. "He fixed everything around here. Charlie was sort of a jack of all trades. He just seemed to know how to fix whatever was broken and needed a little attention."

"Bella's talking about them more and more," I mentioned.

Emmett had a nail between his teeth and his big hands were trying to set a roofing tile straight, so he only grunted.

"She was happy to hear you were going to fix the house with me."

Emmett's head bobbed the slightest bit as he drove a nail through the tile.

"She yelled at me again."

Emmett snorted and turned his head toward me. "You know what I like about you, Edward? You very rarely beat around the proverbial bush, but when you do, you do it with such style."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning you've wanted to talk about my baby sister yelling at you from the moment you showed up at my house. You were just too chicken to say it before now."

"You're the one who promised you would kick my butt for upsetting her."

"So you brilliantly wait until you're up here on a roof _alone_ with me?" he asked, smiling wide. "No worries, Eddie. You're safe with me. A few bruises is one thing. Actually breaking something on you would piss Bella off. She might be the baby sister, but I don't doubt her ability to kick my ass if I screw up with her. So tell me what you did this time."

"I just asked her what she wanted for breakfast."

"And what was she doing when you asked?"

"Sitting on the floor in the bathroom and talking to me."

"You idiot!" Emmett laughed. "You don't ask a pregnant woman about food while she's in the middle of her morning sickness."

"She was done!" I defended.

"Until she's out of the bathroom with her teeth freshly brushed, she's not done. Jeez! What is it with you? Bella tells you she's pregnant and you suddenly get as stupid as me. Did you transfer all of your brains to your kid, or what?"

"I don't know. I just…I don't seem to be able to say or do anything right."

"Because you're trying too hard. Bella doesn't need you to be all that different around her just because she's pregnant. She needs some extra attention and patience. She needs you to not be an insensitive prick, but that part you can't help. You're a guy and you have no concept of what pregnancy is like, so you're not going to get it right. Sometimes, you just have to stand there quietly and wait for her to ask for what she needs."

"Bella doesn't ask," I sighed, helping Emmett lay out the next tile.

"She will. Just give her time to accept the fact that she has no choice. You know Bella doesn't like not feeling in control of every second of her life. She'll fight hard against it. But she will realize the baby is more important than her own stubbornness and things will change for the better. This is only the second week of knowing about and dealing with her pregnancy. Just give each other time to adjust. I promise you, Edward, once Bella hits that second trimester, things will smooth out for you guys."

I nodded my head, letting his words sink in. I knew enough about pregnancy and hormones to know Bella wouldn't be herself for a little while, but it was an entirely different thing to face it. She was my Bella, but she wasn't. This version of Bella would cry or yell, and in the next second, not let me go. I didn't know how to react to her mood swings without upsetting her more and it made me feel like a complete idiot. I hated not being able to make her days happy.

And I hated feeling useless and scared with the medical side of things. "Emmett, do you think Bella's going to make it through this pregnancy?" I asked, almost afraid to hear his answer.

**Emmett's POV**

I'd known from the moment I'd first seen Edward this morning that the kid was just waiting to ask me a question. I could tell from the way his hands had been twitching and he'd kept sighing. I'd guessed correctly about his behavior, too—he'd gotten himself yelled at again by Bella.

I knew what that was like, feeling like a screw-up. I'd always been the goofball of whatever group I was apart of, and more so with this set. They all got too serious and too focused on the troubles of life, so I had to be the one to lighten up our lives.

And now he'd really gotten to the heart of the matter. He wanted to talk about the medical stuff behind the pregnancy. I wondered if it had been Rose or Alice who'd told him. I'd asked them both to wait until Bella made it to the second trimester. She was so much more likely to carry to term after that point. Plus, knowing she was already into the safer part of the pregnancy, Edward wouldn't be able to get himself all ramped up about her health. He was always accusing me of being overprotective, but he had me beat hands down.

I didn't answer his question; I decided to ask one of my own instead. "Edward, do you want this baby?"

"Of course, I do…But I _need_ her."

"You _need_ to relax. There's no reason to get yourself all worked up. Bella's healthy, the baby's healthy, and that's all you need to focus on. Just do what you can to keep her happy and don't worry about the rest. Life's not predictable and it can't be controlled after a certain part, so just relax. Unless something medically changes with Bella, just enjoy this time with her."

"Emmett, thank you," Edward said, finally giving a smile.

"Roll up those sleeves of yours and get busy with some real work, Cullen! It's about time you get some blisters on those pretty girl hands of yours," I joked, moving us back to happier conversation.

**Bella's POV**

Esme stopped the car right out front of my old house. We could see Emmett and Edward on the roof, both of them shirtless and looking tired and hot. This lunch thing seemed like an even better idea now.

I climbed out of the car, waving to my brother and my husband. "Hi, guys! We brought food and cold drinks!"

"Bless you Bella!" Emmett yelled, giving me a bow.

"Be careful up there, Em! Don't fall through the roof or anything," I called out to him.

"We'll be down in a sec, Squirt. Go inside and set up the food for us," Emmett said.

"Are you telling me what to do, brother bear?" I asked, smirking at him as I shielded my eyes with my hand.

"Wouldn't dream of it, little sis," he chuckled. "_Please_ set up lunch while we get our sorry butts down from here."

"That's more like it," I laughed, heading inside with Esme.

Esme set the picnic basket on the table and I started pulling items out of it while she poured us all drinks from the two thermos bottles she'd brought along. Edward and Emmett came inside, laughing and smacking each other on the back like men always seemed to be doing.

"What do we have here?" Emmett asked, attempting to lean over the basket.

I pushed on his sweaty shoulder. "Ick! Go clean up in the bathroom. Both of you!"

"I'm starving, Squirt," Emmett whined.

"So am I, and I'll never be able to keep my food down with you smelling like that. Go clean up right now," I demanded.

"Come on, Emmett," Edward chuckled, pulling him toward the stairs. "Let's do as the lovely lady said and get cleaned up."

"Thank you, Honey!" I called after them.

"Thank you, Honey," Emmett mimicked, making kisses noises.

"Bite me, Emmett," Edward hissed.

"I am Count Dracula and I vant to suck your blood!" Emmett yelled out.

"You are such an idiot," Edward told him—but I could hear the amusement in his voice.

"There's that lovely smile we've all come to know and love," Esme said, patting my cheek.

I smiled and finished putting out our lunch on the paper plates we'd brought. I sat down in my old chair and looked toward the stairs, watching Edward come down them and pull a t-shirt on at the same time. If I'd have tried a move like that, I would have ended up trapped in the shirt and tumbling head over foot.

"Hello, Love," Edward greeted, leaning down to kiss me.

I smiled and met his lips, truly happy to see him. "I missed you."

"Really?" he asked, sounding surprised as he took the seat next to me.

"Of course," I said, hating that my crazy mood swings had made him doubt that.

"Then come here," he offered, holding his arms open for me.

I squealed like a kid and jumped out of my seat and into his lap, making him laugh. I wrapped my arms around his neck and hugged him as tightly as I could. "I love you so, so much Edward."

"And I love you more," he whispered, kissing the hollow right beneath my ear.

"Squirt, you seem to be in a lovey-dovey mood this afternoon," Emmett announced, ruffling my hair as he passed me.

"I'm with my husband, my mother-in-law, and my big brother. Why wouldn't I be?" I asked, smiling at him.

"I'll be in a good mood myself as soon as I get some food and drink in me," Emmett replied, as Esme handed him a cup.

We sat around the small table, enjoying our sandwiches and tea while talking and laughing together. I staid perched on Edward's lap with one of his arms wrapped around me at all times. It felt like nothing had changed between us, like I'd never gotten a single mood swing or yelled at him once. It made me more resolved than ever to get control of my feelings and keep them in check. I wanted to make sure our little rough patch was completely repaired, and then I was going to keep it that way.

**Emmett's POV**

I was a man of simple thoughts: _I hate re-tiling roofs! I hate how my fingers get torn up, and my back gets sunburned, and my knees get all stiff from the kneeling and squatting_. And what I wanted most in the world was a cold shower and a beer. But I also wanted the best for my baby sister and she needed a house of her own—well, she at least needed the option. So that required me fixing up this place and getting it sold.

I stood up and stretched, groaning as my lower back popped.

"You okay, Em?" Edward asked.

"Fine, Tutor-boy. That's just the sound a body makes when it's gotten a long workout," I told him. "You almost done with your section?"

"Yeah. Just a few more nails."

"That was sweet of Squirt and your mom to bring us food like that," I said, slowly starting to walk the roof. I needed to make sure we'd repaired all of the bad spots.

"It was very nice of them, and Bella seemed a lot happier."

"She'll do that, so make sure you really enjoy the happy times until she evens out."

"So second trimester, huh?"

I started to say "yeah", but it quickly turned into a scream as the roof beneath me gave way and tossed me into the attic below.

"Emmett! Emmett, are you okay?" Edward yelled.

"Stay back! I don't know how much else was rotted."

"Are you hurt? Do you need the paramedics?"

"Don't know. Go down the ladder and then come up through the house. There's an access door in Bella's old room."

"Just stay still and don't move until I get there."

"No worries, Edward. I'm not moving," I assured him. I let my head fall against the floorboards as I tried to take stock of myself and any injuries I might have. My ankle was throbbing, so I'd probably twisted the hell out of it. My back wasn't feeling all that great either, but since I'd landed on my feet, I didn't think I'd hurt it too much. I knew my neck was fine since I hadn't hit my head coming down.

Rose was going to kick my ass when I got home tonight and told her about this. She'd warned me to be careful and not put my full weight down until I'd tested the roof beneath my feet. But oh no! I had to be clomping around in my boots.

"Emmett?" Edward called, opening the access door.

"Still conscious," I told him.

"How hurt are you?"

"Not sure. Think I might have twisted my ankle. And my back's probably going to be sore for a few days."

"I'm calling my dad."

"No. I just need to stay still for a few minutes."

"Em, I'm calling my dad or driving you to the hospital."

"I'd like to see you try and get me down those narrow ass stairs," I laughed.

Edward ignored me completely and did what he wanted—so much like Bella. "Carlisle, I need you to come to Bella's parents' house. Emmett's fallen through the roof and into the attic. He says his ankle and back hurt. No, Carlisle, I can't. Even if I wanted to, the stairs are too narrow for us to go down together. Alright, I will. Thank you."

I heard his shoes on the stairs and then Edward's wild-haired head popped up into view. "Come and sit for a spell," I chuckled. "From the sound of it, Carlisle's going to be awhile."

"Do you want me to call Rose?"

"Are you stupid?" I yelled. "Would you want me to call Bella before you knew what your injuries were?"

"No," he chuckled.

"Make yourself useful," I told him. "Get my boot off my right foot."

"Swelling?"

"That, or my boot has suddenly turned into a vise grip."

"How can you possibly have that much humor in you after falling through a roof?"

"What would you rather me do, Eddie? Cry like a little girl?"

"Well, no, but…I don't know. I just wonder how you can take life so loosely all the time."

"Believe me, Edward, I only appear to be goofy ninety percent of the time. I have plenty of worries, but I try to balance them out for the sake of everyone around me. Would I be nearly as much fun to hang out with if I was constantly letting my worries over Rose and Lily, or Bella, get the best of me?"

"You worry about Rose and Lily?"

"All the time. I worry if I'm providing them a good enough life working as an assistant coach for a college football team. I worry if Rose is one day going to get tired of my antics and kick me to the curb. I worry if Lily is going to respect me and not see me as just the goofball in her life."

"Emmett, no one thinks you're _just_ a goofball," Edward said, putting my boot down between us.

I just looked at him, waiting to see if that was all he was going to say about it.

"You've gone out of your way to help every one of us when we really needed it. You helped shape Bella into the amazing woman that she is by being her father and mother when your parents died. You might mix humor into it, but you do manage to give great advice from time to time. You know, it must be a Swan family thing to not see yourself clearly."

"Must be," I chuckled. I glanced around the attic, noticing all the cobwebs I was going to have to sweep away at some point. My eyes trailed upwards, looking at the hole in the roof. "Hey, Edward. Do me a favor and call Jasperilla. Tell him we need a tarp sturdy enough for a temporary roof, and we need a roofing contractor who won't rob us blind. The women are not going to let us back up there after they find out I crashed on through."

"Jasperilla," Edward snorted. "When did you start calling him that?"

"Since he decided to admit he plays cowboy with your sister. He likes to order a sasaparilla from the bar wench. What kind of cowboy orders a root beer instead of a real beer anyway?"

"What kind of man admits he does that stuff?" Edward yelled. "There are things I never, _ever_ want to know about my big sister, Em. I especially don't want to know about her role playing."

"Damn! I thought for sure you'd get a kick out of them playing vampire. They have fangs and capes, and Alice springs for cherry Kool-aid so they can pretend to drink each other's blood."

"Deviants," Edward muttered, scowling at the dirty floorboards.

"So you mean to tell me that you've never played naughty teacher with Bella? I was so sure you would have been into her spanking you. It's always the quiet ones that have the masochistic tendencies."

"Sorry to disappoint, Emmett. I like my wife just the way she is."

"Role playing has nothing to do with that, Edward. And if you'd stop being a prude long enough to find out about it, you'd see that. It's just a way to spice up your love life a little. It's not like Rosie pretends she's someone completely different when we play Assassin and spy. It's just her way of killing off the part of me trying to catch a peek at her."

"So disgusting," Edward laughed. "Do you think Rose would kill you if she knew you said that?"

"Nope," I chuckled. "She'd offer to take Bella and you costume shopping.

"Okay, this conversation is over and I'm calling Jasper," Edward said, dialing the number on his phone already.

"Be sure to ask him about Civil War night at the Hale household," I teased, nudging Edward's knee with my fist.

I really hoped Carlisle was bringing some pain meds with him because my ankle was hurting like a very bad word I wasn't allowed to say now that my sweet little Lily was talking. She'd toddled her little self up to me just this morning and clear as day, she'd said, "Love, Daddy." She was definitely getting snuck some of daddy's ice cream tonight when we cuddled on the sofa together. But first things first! I had to get myself and the roof repaired.


	11. Worry & Love for The Bear

**WOW! **I love the response to the last chapter. I'm always a little nervous when trying to write from the other characters' POV, but you guys seem to love Emmett's a lot. And he is such a fun person to write for because he has so many sides to him. He's not just a goofball, but he enjoys that role. And Lily has him wrapped so tightly around her baby fingers that it's hilarious.

I'm attempting Rose's POV in this one. I hope I do her justice. Remember! She's not the same Rose from the books because she has gotten the exact life she wanted in this story and LLC. She's still secure in herself and she still knows how to put Emmett in his place, but she's not as jaded about life as the Rosalie in the books. Let me know what you think of this version of Rose.

* * *

**DISCLAIMER:** The characters do not belong to me…they are all the creation of the wonderful Stephenie Meyer.

**Worry & Love for The Bear**

**Rose's POV**

Balancing a baby on one hip and a laundry basket on the other is a feat only a mother can pull off. I swear some days it felt like I should just go into juggling. Don't get me wrong! I loved being a wife and mother, but some days…some days I wanted a long hot bath in a candlelit room with a glass of red wine in my hand and soft music playing in the background. And while soaking in luxurious bath oils, I wanted to know my baby girl was safe and looked after, my husband was safe and loving only me, and that my family was healthy and happy. Maybe I would start dropping some hints to Em that I needed a mommy sanity night.

"Momma, down!" Lily fussed for the third time in as many seconds.

"I would put you down, sweetums, but you keep trying to get onto the stairs and Mommy can't keep you from being a monkey and get the laundry done. So unless you want to run nakey through the house, you're going to need to help Mommy with the laundry."

"Nakey!" Lily yelled, throwing her little arms up into the air as she smiled wide.

"You are so your father's daughter," I laughed. I dropped the basket onto the laundry room floor, transferred Lily to my other hip, and then started loading the wash.

"Boo!" Lily yelled, pointing at a shirt I'd just grabbed from the basket.

"What was that, baby girl?" I asked, sure that she'd just been yelling something random.

She couldn't possibly have been trying to name the color of the shirt. I mean, she was only fifteen months old. I knew she was smart, but come on! Then again, she had Emmett's mouth and was already trying to put together sentences. She knew "Momma", "Dadda", "Love", "Beebee" and "Eee"—which we assumed were Edward and Bella. Lily was working hard on "Grandma" and "Grandpa", but so far, we just got a "mmm" sound with her little fingers reaching out for them to hold her. She also had another word she said whenever Jasper and Alice were around, but we weren't sure if she was trying to say "Jazzy" for Jasper, or "ouchie" for Alice's clothing torture.

I held the shirt up for her. "Lily, what's this?"

She smiled shyly and hunched her shoulders up to hide her neck.

"Come on, Lily Bear. What's Mommy got in her hand?"

Lily just laughed and shook her head.

"It's okay, baby girl," I chuckled, kissing her forehead. "Mommy knows you'll be a genius soon enough. Daddy and Mommy are going to make sure of it."

I'd just gotten the lid on the washer closed and the machine started when my cell phone went off. I switched hips with Lily once more and dug my phone out. "Hey, Sexy! When are you coming home to me and the little one?"

"Uh…Rose?" Edward's nervous voice replied.

"What are you doing on Emmett's phone? Where's Emmett?" I asked, trying not to panic and failing miserably. Emmett never let his phone out of his sight. It was his pride and joy, next to Lily.

"He's fine. He's talking to Jasper on my phone, so I'm using his."

"And why are you using his? Why didn't you just wait?"

"Because the two of them have been arguing like an old married couple for twenty minutes."

"For what? What's going on?"

"He's fine, Rose, but well…Emmett fell through the roof and into the attic."

"Why the…H-E-L-L didn't you say that to begin with?" I asked, trying to keep control for Lily's sake.

"Because I was trying not to worry you. My dad's here with us and we're going to take Emmett to the hospital for some x-rays."

"What does Carlisle say?"

"He thinks Emmett might have fractured his ankle, but other than that, he thinks Emmett's fine."

"Why the hell did you call my brother first instead of me? My husband went through the roof!"

"Because we have to get the hole repaired tonight before there's a chance for it to rain and ruin the house."

"Oh. Well."

"Do you want us to stop and pick you and Lily up on the way to the hospital?"

"You bet your butt I do!"

"Okay," Edward chuckled. "Listen, do me a favor and don't call Bella. Let's tell her in person after Emmett's all checked out."

"No problem," I assured him. "And, Edward, thank you. I'm sure Emmett wanted to wait to tell me too."

"He did, but only because he loves you, Rose."

"I know," I said, smiling. "Tell him I love him, okay?"

"Sure thing, Rosalie," Edward replied before hanging up.

I shoved my phone into my pocket and then moved Lily so that I was looking right down into her sweet little face. "Baby girl, Daddy has an ouchie. Grandpa Carlisle is going to fix him right up, though, so we shouldn't worry. But we do need to get you dressed."

"Dadda?" Lily asked, tilting her head to the side. She looked so much like Emmett in that second that I couldn't stop myself from letting a tear slip out. Lily put her hand on my cheek and her head on my shoulder, giving me one of her baby hugs. I had the best little girl in the whole wide world and we had the best man taking care of us. Even when the big bear did stupid things like fall through a roof. I brushed the one tear away and headed upstairs to get Lily and her diaper bag ready to go.

**Bella's POV**

I was cuddled up on the sofa, reading one of my new books Edward had bought me for Christmas when the front door swung open. Carlisle quickly moved through the door and to the side, revealing Emmett on crutches, followed by Rose and Lily, and Edward.

"What happened?" I asked, as Edward helped Emmett over to the recliner. He pulled the coffee table over to Emmett and propped up his foot for him.

"My adorably dense husband was walking along the roof and decided to reacquaint himself with the attic without using the stairs," Rose said, sitting down next to me with Lily.

"Dadda, ouchie," Lily announced, clapping her little hands together.

"Look at you," I laughed, picking her up and kissing her cheek. "How do you know that?"

"Dadda, ouchie," Lily repeated, pointing at Emmett with one finger while biting on another.

"It's all we've talked about on the ride over. Emmett's fractured his ankle bone and bruised his back, but he'll live," Rosalie said as Lily jumped back into her arms.

"Emmett!" I cried, turning to look at him.

He put his hands up and waved them at me, shushing me like he used to do when I was a little kid. "Turn down the volume, Squirt. I didn't damage the ears and I'd like to keep it that way."

I went over to him and sat on his lap, just like I used to do right after Mom and Dad died. Emmett wrapped his big arms around me and hugged me. "You can't leave me, Em."

"Squirt, I'm just fine," Emmett promised. "It's going to take a lot more than a roof to get me away from you. And just think what it would take to keep me away from Rose and Lily."

"He'll be just fine, Bella," Carlisle assured me. "He'll have to keep that cast on and use crutches for a few weeks."

"And I'll be too sore to get out of bed tomorrow," Emmett grumbled.

"Hush!" Rosalie said, giving him a little smile. "So you get breakfast in bed one morning. It's not the end of the world."

"Not as long as I have my two girls with me," Emmett replied, giving a big goofy smile.

"Spew the charm all you want, Honey," Rose chuckled. "You're still not getting back up on that roof, or any roof, ever again."

"So there's a big hole in the roof?" I asked, looking up at Emmett.

"I _did_ fall through it," he chuckled.

"Alice and Jasper are at the house, overseeing the roof repairs. Jasper has a good friend who's going to get the repairs done tonight," Rose explained.

"Won't that be expensive?" I asked.

"Don't worry about it, Squirt. I did the damage, so I'll pay to fix it," Emmett assured me.

"I don't think so," I argued. "You agreed to share the expenses with Edward, so this is just one of them."

"Bella, don't be stubborn," Emmett sighed.

"Edward, tell him," I demanded, looking up at my husband.

Edward helped me out of Emmett's lap and wrapped his arms around me. "Bella—"

"Now what is all the fuss out here about?" Esme asked, walking into the living room. "Oh, Rosalie and Lily!" she squealed, running over and hugging and kissing them both. Lily immediately wiggled away from her mother to get into Grandma Esme's arms. Esme scooped the baby up and planted a loud kiss on her cheek, getting her to giggle.

"Emmett fell through the roof of the house," Rosalie told her. "Fractured his ankle and bruised his lower back, but the big lug will live."

"Oh, you poor dear," Esme cooed, walking over and kissing the side of Emmett's head.

Lily started making noises and opening and closing her little hands as she tried to lean forward. Esme helped her and Lily started petting Emmett's pink and purple cast. "Daddy pretty," she cooed.

Esme chuckled while righting the baby in her arms. "Lily and I will make something special for dinner. You'll all stay for supper."

"I'll help," Rose offered, getting up and following Esme and Lily into the kitchen.

"I might as well join them. At least I might get a few minutes with my granddaughter that way," Carlisle chuckled, heading after them.

"What are you two whispering about?" I asked, turning to see Emmett and Edward with their heads together. The two of them rarely looked so chummy together unless they were planning surprises for someone.

"Nothing for you to worry about, Squirt," Emmett replied, giving me a big smile.

I pulled away from Edward and sat down on the couch in a huff, crossing my arms in front of me. It might have been a bit childish, but I was already the last to know about Emmett's accident. What else were they keeping from me?

Edward chuckled as he stretched out on the sofa, putting his head into my lap. "What's wrong, Love?"

I ran my fingers through his messy bronze-hair, careful not to pull on the tangles he'd gotten from being all sweaty. "Won't you _please_ tell me what you two are up to?"

"Hmn. What would you be willing to trade for the information?" he asked, his green eyes bright with mischief.

"What do you have in mind?"

"A bath before dinner."

"And when would I get my information?"

He picked up my hand and kissed my fingertips while giving me that crooked smile of his. "As soon as we're dry and dressed in clean clothes. I missed you today and I just want to be alone with you for a little while."

"Well, you do sort of stink and all," I said, only halfway joking. "Let's go."

Edward was off the sofa and pulling me up in record time, making me laugh at him. "Emmett, we'll be back in time for dinner," Edward said.

"Fine, fine," Emmett sighed. "Leave the injured man to entertain himself."

I tossed him the remote control to the TV and kissed his cheek. "I love you, Em, and I won't be long. And when I get back downstairs, you will tell me how this happened," I ordered, pointing at his foot. "And I want the whole story, brother bear." Emmett only grunted in reply.

Edward helped me up the stairs and then he made me sit while he ran the bubble bath for us.

"Edward, what happened to Emmett? And I'd like the unabridged version, please," I said, watching him peel his sweaty t-shirt off. I didn't have enough patience to wait for my brother to tell me.

"Emmett was walking across the roof, looking for weak spots that needed patching. The spot he stepped on looked okay, but when he put his other foot down, the weight was too much and he fell into the attic. He landed on his feet and that's how he fractured his ankle. He bruised his back when he fell backwards from trying to get off his hurt ankle. He never hit his head or lost consciousness. He even had the presence of mind to tell me to stay away and to come up through the door in your old room."

"I'd forgotten all about that old door and the attic. Did we leave a lot of things up there?"

"Not a lot. But there are a couple of things you might want to keep."

"Like what?"

"Well, there's a wooden rocking chair up there. It looked to be in pretty good shape. Just needs some polishing."

"That was my mother's, Edward. She used to rock me to sleep in that chair every night. We did it until we couldn't fit in the chair together anymore. What else did you find?"

"The baby crib your mom used for Emmett and you."

"Could we?" I asked excitedly.

"No, Love," Edward said, giving me a sad smile. "It's far too old. Emmett said you were an escape artist and you managed to loosen the bars so that they were always popping out."

"Oh," I sighed, amazed at how quickly I'd gone from overly excited to completely dejected.

"Bella, we can try to find a crib that's the same style if you like," Edward offered, helping me to stand.

"We'll see. But I do want the rocker," I said, helping him get my shirt off.

"I will make sure you get the rocker."

Once we were settled together under the warm water and bubbles, I turned the conversation toward other things. "So did you have a nice time with Emmett today?"

"Yes, actually. I can't say that I enjoyed re-tiling a roof, but Emmett made the day pass quickly."

"So how did Jasper and Alice get involved?" I asked, trying to scrub some of the gunk out from under Edward's fingernails.

"Emmett had me call Jasper to find a roofing contractor. He was positive that Rose and you would forbid us from getting up on the roof again."

"Damn straight!" I agreed, nodding my head.

Edward chuckled and kissed the back of my shoulder. "I thought you might agree with him on that one."

"He's right every so often," I laughed.

Edward chuckled again and hugged me close. "How was your afternoon?"

"Slow."

"For me as well. I missed you."

"I missed you, too, Edward. Hey, we should offer to go hang out and keep Emmett company tomorrow. He's going to be a total bear and Rose shouldn't have to deal with that alone. Emmett's the worst patient ever! My mom used to threaten that if he didn't stop whining, she was going to handcuff him to his bed and gag him."

"Your mom _actually_ told him that?"

"He was thirteen, home with the flu, and kept calling her every two seconds. 'Mommy, I need a drink. Mommy, I'm thirsty. Mommy, can you change the channel?' And that was just in the first hour of him waking up."

"Okay, now it makes absolute sense," Edward chuckled. "Bella, it's nice to have you talk about your mother without you getting upset."

"Yeah, it is," I agreed. "But I'm done talking about it for now, okay? Give me something else to think about."

"I learned something very, very disturbing about our siblings today."

"As opposed to any other day, how?" I laughed.

The rest of the bath was spent laughing and joking about things Alice and Emmett had done over the years that were just so them. Edward told me about the time Alice gave out fashion tickets in middle school, complete with different fines for their infractions. I told him about the time Emmett got busted during a panty-raid at the college. He'd gotten the numbers wrong for his girlfriend's room and ended up in the resident advisor's room instead—she'd taken him down with a can of mace and implemented a citizen's arrest.

With our stories and our bath done, I headed downstairs, hoping to get a few minutes alone with Emmett. I wanted to make sure my big brother was completely fine and not just pretending for everyone.

"Well don't you look cute," Emmett said as I cuddled up in his lap. "Flannel does you justice, Squirt."

"So does your pink and purple cast," I chuckled. "How did you end up with that anyway?"

"Edward and Carlisle thought they were being funny," he huffed. And then he smiled brightly. "But Lily likes it so who cares."

"That little girl has you wrapped around her tiny little fingers."

"She absolutely does. Just like her mother. And you know, Squirt, I wouldn't change it for anything."

"Em, are you really okay?" I asked, looking up into his face.

"Isabella, don't use that scared little girl voice with me. You're lucky you're preggers, or I'd dump your overreacting little butt on the floor," he said, trying to sound gruff.

"I love you, big brother."

"And I love you, little sister. But you have to stop worrying, Bella. I'm fine. People fall through roofs, people fall _off_ roofs, all the time and are just fine. And I was checked out by one of the best doctor's around, remember?"

"Yeah, I know. I just don't ever want to lose you, Em."

"That's a sweet thought, Squirt. But we all have our time on this planet and when it's done, it's done. Now personally, I expect to be around long enough to see Lily grown and married, with a family of her own. But my plans and what really happens could end up being two different things."

"How do you deal with that, Em? How do you handle all of that unknown?"

"By enjoying every second I get with the people I love most. And it's what you need to do, Bella. Don't be so afraid of losing one of us that you forget to live _with_ us. You have a very important role in this family as the egg-head and smart-mouth. No one else can take over those for you, and I expect you to teach Lily when she's old enough to know better than to use them on me."

I couldn't help but laugh at his words. I wrapped my arms around his big neck and hugged him tightly. "I love you, Emmett."

"You know, for a little sister, you're not half bad."

"Em!" I cried, slapping his chest.

He caught my hand and locked his eyes with mine, his face perfectly serious. "I love you, Isabella. I'm not leaving you."

"Good," I sighed, letting my head rest against his shoulder. "Because you have to teach my baby to wrestle, to sing off-key and not care, to tell the silliest jokes, and how to laugh no matter how crappy your day has been."

"And I can also tell him about his amazing Grandpa Charlie and Grandma Renee and what his wonderful mother was like as a kid. Especially with the stuff Edward and I found today," Emmett said.

I sat up and looked at him, feeling confused. "Found what where?"

"In the attic, Squirt! Those hormones got you confused as well as moody?" he teased, winking at me. "We found a box with all of our baby stuff. I was thinking if you felt up to it, we could go through it all together after dinner."

"Thank you, Em! I would love that," I told him, giving him another big hug. Emmett was a lot of things to a lot of people. He was a husband to Rose, a father to Lily, a friend to Jasper, Alice, and Edward, and a son to Carlisle and Esme. And to me, he would always be the big brother I loved unconditionally, and the man who'd given up his own dreams to make sure I wasn't alone in this world.

Alice and Jasper arrived just as Esme was putting dinner on the table. Jasper's friend had managed to temporarily fix the roof for the night and would be back out there tomorrow to finish the repairs. He was even giving us a really good deal on the costs too. Most of dinner was spent making fun of Emmett, with him coming up with most of the jokes. I knew it was his way of reassuring all of us that he was okay.

After dinner, we all gathered in the living room around the big box Jasper had brought over from the house. Right on top were the christening gowns Emmett and I had worn as little babies. They were that weird yellow color that white fabrics tend to fade to over time. We were all amazed by how small Emmett's gown was, especially seeing it resting in his big hands.

The next thing we found were two small boxes with bronze baby booties inside each one. Emmett's were pretty big and mine were tiny. They had our initials and birthdates engraved on the bottom of each shoe.

"Do they still do stuff like this with baby shoes?" I asked, holding my bootie up for Esme to see. "Do they even have that shoe style still?"

"Good question," Esme said, smiling down at me. "I'll have to make some calls and find out. It would be nice to mix a little of the old customs with the newer stylings."

"Squirt! It's your baby book," Emmett announced proudly, holding the purple book up. It had a lace fringe around the corners and my name was on it in gold letters.

I took the book from him and started flipping through it. "I haven't seen this in years! Edward, you have to see this one page," I said excitedly, looking for the one I wanted. I finally found it and snorted as I looked down at the pictures on the page. I ran my finger over the little Ziploc bag that had been stapled to the page.

"Is that your hair?" Edward asked, his fingers resting next to mine on the page.

"Yep," I chuckled, looking at the lock of brown hair with the purple ribbon wrapped around it. "In case you guys can't tell, I liked purple a lot as a kid, so my mom was always getting me purple stuff. It caused quite the commotion when I woke up at eight years old and decided my favorite color had changed to blue during the night. Em, do you remember why this hair is in here?"

"No," he replied. "And why do I look so guilty in this picture?" he asked, pointing to the one right above the bag of hair.

"I don't remember this day, but I remember Mom telling me the story," I chuckled. "I was four years old and I'd managed to get my hands on Emmett's toys and broke one of them. So to get back at me, Emmett waited until I was napping and then cut off a section of my hair. This is the section you cut off, Em. Mom had to take me to her hairdresser to get it evened out and fixed. It was the first and only time I've ever had shoulder-length hair."

"What is it with older siblings and the need to cut the younger siblings hair?" Edward asked, smiling wide. "Ali, do you remember the haircut you gave me?"

"Do I ever!" Alice laughed. "I was so sure it was going to make your hair more manageable. It only made it worse!"

I reached up and put my hand in Edward's hair, smoothing it away from his forehead. "I love your hair just the way it is." Edward chuckled as he leaned over and kissed me sweetly.

We spent the next couple of hours going through my book and Emmett's, with Emmett telling me lots of stories about when I was a kid, things our parents had never gotten around to sharing with me. It was the most time I'd spent thinking about them in years, and hearing all of those stories from Emmett made me feel like my parents weren't quite so far away from me. I also felt like my brother had been a lot meaner to me than I remembered—or maybe I'd just been so amazed by him taking care of me that I'd decided to let all of that stuff slip past me. Either way, I definitely had one wonderful big brother, and my baby was going to be lucky to have such a great uncle.

* * *

**Thanks to LIZBRE for the wonderful idea of the items in the attic and the pink & purple cast! No man rocks pink and purple like our Emmett. (He's really HPs Emmett, but I need him in my story so I have to borrow him for a bit). That's all for now folks! I'll try to have two more chapters next weekend.  
**


	12. Exciting Times

**DISCLAIMER:** The characters do not belong to me…they are all the creation of the wonderful Stephenie Meyer.

**Exciting Times**

**Edward's POV**

"Edward, how much do you love me?" Bella called.

I looked up from the papers I was grading and found her smiling over the top of her book, her chocolate eyes were bright with amusement. "I don't think there are enough days, months, and years to quantify it. My love for you knows no bounds," I told her.

"Hmm."

"Why do you ask?" I questioned, moving away from the window wall and toward her.

She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth as she looked up at me. "Well, my feet sort of hurt and I was sort of hoping you would massage them for me."

I chuckled as I leaned in and kissed her lips. "I'm honored to rub the feet of the mother of my child."

Bella's entire face lit up as she smiled at my words. "I really, really love you."

I laughed as I sat on the arm of the sofa and took her feet into my hands. "I love you, too, my silly Bella."

She was so much better about asking for what she wanted these days, and it was an exciting time for the both of us as we dealt with the changes to her body and our relationship. I was learning to not be so protective and she was learning to take more precautions. And we were learning together how best to handle mood swings and Bella's heartache for her parents. Going through her items with Emmett had done her a world of good, and I was sure my mother's gift was going to help even more. She was putting the finishing touches on it and planned to give it to Bella next week during the weekly family dinner with everyone.

Bella was just entering the second trimester of her pregnancy, right at the end of week thirteen. I couldn't wait to get to week eighteen when the baby would be able to hear us—I'd already started trying to write a lullaby for him. Bella was excited for week twenty-four, when she would have proof for us all that she was carrying a boy.

That was another thing that had happened in the past few weeks…Bella had somehow gotten every single one of us to refer to the baby as a "him". But she still refused to talk about names. She said she wanted to wait to see the baby first and then she would be able to pick the perfect name for our perfect baby—her exact words and there was no arguing with her about it.

"That feels so good," Bella sighed, closing her eyes and relaxing further into the sofa. "Why does being pregnant have to take such a toll on your feet?"

"Your doctor told you that with a frame as small as yours, you're body is going to feel the affects of any extra weight."

"Sure, sure."

"Of course, it might have a bit more to do with the fact that you were walking around your classes today instead of teaching from behind your desk," I scolded her.

"How do you know that?" she blurted out, her eyes flying open at her self incrimination.

"Because I had a free period and checked in on you," I told her. "My understanding of our compromise was that you would stand only long enough to write assignments on the board."

"Yeah," she admitted, looking repentant. "I'm sorry, Edward. I had all this nervous energy today and I couldn't seem to get rid of it. Every time I sat in the chair, I started drumming my fingers on the desktop or tapping my shoes on the floor. I was disrupting my own classes!" She opened her mouth to say something else, but let out a loud groan instead. "Move your thumb back over my arch. Yeah, right there," she sighed. "I think I need new shoes."

"_I_ think you need to follow through with what we agreed upon and _sit down_."

"You're going to end up strapping me to the chair if I don't, aren't you?" she asked, glaring at me.

"The thought has crossed my mind," I chuckled. "If you prefer, I could just tell Emmett that you're not taking care of yourself properly."

"You wouldn't dare!" she cried, her brown eyes wide with disbelief. The only person more protective of my pregnant wife than me was her big brother.

"If it means ensuring you and our baby are healthy and safe, there is nothing I wouldn't do," I assured her.

"Alright, I give up!" she cried, throwing her hands into the air. "I just wish you could be pregnant for one day, just one day, Edward Anthony! I would threaten you with being tied to a chair, take away your sugary snack foods, and tell you how your clothes 'appear' too tight."

"Bella, you are being amazingly absurd right now."

"What I am is tired, hot, and pregnant," she fussed, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"Would you like me to turn down the air for you?"

Her face immediately softened. "Would you mind?"

I chuckled as I put down her feet. "Anything else while I'm up?"

"Some apple juice."

"Okay."

"With ice," she added as I opened the bedroom door.

"Juice with ice. Got it."

"And cookies!" she yelled out just as I reached the edge of the stairs.

I turned around and walked back to the doorway. "What kind of cookies?"

"Lemon."

"So you want apple juice and lemon cookies? Anything else?"

"The air turned down."

"Besides that?"

"Chicken wings."

I tried my best not to laugh, but being that I had never experienced cravings myself, I couldn't understand her desire to pair apple juice and lemon cookies with chicken wings. "What flavor?"

"Barbecue. And blue cheese on the side. But no celery," she added, her nose scrunching up in disgust.

"I almost feel as though I should have a waiter pad in my hands."

Bella smiled, ignoring my teasing. "Thank you, Edward."

"You realize I don't have chicken wings in the house, right?"

"Of course I do. Bring me the juice and cookies and then you can go get the wings."

"Alright," I chuckled, leaving the room again.

"But turn down the air first!" she yelled after me.

I chuckled again, shaking my head as I lowered the temperature on the thermostat. I headed down the stairs and into the kitchen to fix her a snack.

We had spent most of this Tuesday night in our room, both of us grading papers for our classes. It was part of a compromise I'd made with Bella. We would spend weeknights focusing on our jobs and Bella would relax on Saturdays and Sundays. So far, it seemed to be a really good compromise between us.

When I got back to the room with her snack, Bella was on the bed with her papers spread out around her. One of her hands was absentmindedly running back and forth across her stomach and she was humming softly while reading over a paper…She was absolutely breath-taking.

She looked up and smiled at me, her face radiant with her happiness. "Thank you, Edward."

I carefully set the tray over her legs and then kissed her lips. "You're welcome. I have my cell phone. Please don't hesitate to call if you think of something else you want."

"I love you."

"I love you, too," I said, kissing her again. I lowered my head and kissed the slight bulge of her stomach. "Love you, Baby."

Bella put her hand to my cheek and I lifted my head to look at her. "Hurry back. We'll miss you," she whispered, kissing me chastely.

With one last kiss to her forehead, I turned and left the room. I ran down the stairs and out to my car, wanting to complete my errand and return to Bella as soon as possible. I had never liked leaving her side, and now that she was pregnant, I found it even harder. But Bella wanted chicken wings, so it was my job to get them for her.

One thing you learned during the craving stage, it helps to have your wife's favorite eating establishments in your phone. I called the wing place she liked best and ordered her two dozen wings, knowing whatever she didn't eat tonight would get finished off tomorrow. That was the second thing you learned…It was better to have too much food than too little.

Twenty minutes later, I was home with Bella, watching a movie in our room while she happily enjoyed her dinner. We were watching Nine Months with Hugh Grant and Julianne Moore. The guy was an idiot. And the sad part was, his reaction to the news of a baby was the same as a good percentage of the male population. How on Earth any man could turn away from his child, much less the woman he loved…But maybe that was the key. Too many times, relationships had more to do with sex than love. I was blessed to have found the perfect woman and to have her love me so completely.

Once Bella was done eating, I put the tray into the corner of the room and turned out the light. I snuggled with her in the bed and before the movie credits had a chance to roll, Bella was asleep, snoring lightly. I covered her with the throw blanket from the sofa, hoping she wouldn't wake without me next to her. She'd been a little clingy the last couple of weeks, not wanting to let me out of her sight. I'd tried to get her to talk to me about it, but she just kept blaming it on her hormones. I was pretty sure she was having nightmares again and just didn't want to admit it.

I reached into my nightstand and pulled out the journal I was keeping for her. I moved over to the sofa, turned on the lamp, and started writing.

_You have really been taking a toll on your mother's feet in the past few days. She was complaining again today of needing new shoes. I had to threaten to tell your Uncle Emmett just to get her to agree to sit down at school. If I haven't mentioned it before, you should know your mother can be a little bit stubborn._

_We have an appointment with the doctor tomorrow and your mother is extremely excited for it. She knows we will hear your heart beating strongly inside of her and it's a sound she can't wait to experience. There's nothing more in this world I love to see than your mother truly happy. And she's always happy when she thinks of you. Your mother has always been beautiful to me, but whenever she thinks of you, she glows. I'd always thought that was just something men said to pregnant woman to make them feel better about all of the changes they go through, but I know now that it's true._

_Speaking of changes…I don't know what kinds of food you're going to end up liking, but you sure are changing your mother's tastes. She ate lemon cookies today. Bella has never liked anything lemon flavored before. Next thing I know, she'll be asking me to get her bacon. Your mother and I have a mutual dislike for that particular item, just so you know._

_Your Aunt Alice is having a great time planning out your nursery. At last count, she had five different sketches of what it might look like in both color schemes. And when I say sketch, I don't mean just the room. I mean the room, the furniture, the decorations, and every article of clothing she plans to stock your closet with. Your aunt has also been yelling at me to hurry up and find a house or decide to stay here with Grandma Esme and Grandpa Carlisle. I would love to get your mother a house, but I don't know that I can pull it off before you arrive. Uncle Emmett and I are making improvements to the house he and your mother grew up in, but we haven't had many offers on the house yet. Your mother doesn't want to let Grandma and Grandpa buy us a house, and I agree with her on this one. This is a big step and something we should get to do for ourselves. Things will work out for the best either way, I'm sure of that._

_Your mother is stirring so I'm going to end right here so that she doesn't find out about this journal. Bella, when you read this one day, I hope you'll know just how much I love you and our baby. You both are my life._

I quickly slipped the journal back into my nightstand and joined Bella on the bed just as her eyes fluttered open. "Edward?" she called, her voice heavy with sleep.

"I'm right here, Love. Do you need something?"

She sighed and scooted closer to me, putting her arm around my waist. "Just you, Edward."

"Why don't we get you into your pajamas and call it a night?"

"I'm not in them already?"

"No, Bella," I chuckled, kissing her forehead. "You feel asleep in your regular clothes."

"Again? I'm sorry, Edward. I keep trying to stay up and spend some time with you."

"It's okay. You don't need to be worried about me. Just take care of yourself and our baby. If that means you fall asleep early, then so be it."

"But I feel like I haven't gotten to really spend any quality time with you."

"We went shopping together this past weekend," I reminded her.

"Edward, shopping is _not_ quality time," she groaned.

I chuckled at her continued hatred of shopping. We'd had to go shopping in secret to get Bella some more maternity clothes. We'd tried to go with Jasper and Alice a couple of weeks ago, but it had ended with Bella in tears and Alice lamenting the loss of a perfectly good shopping day. Alice had much more expensive tastes than Bella, and while she wanted to dress Bella for any impromptu mother-to-be fashion shows she might come across, Bella wanted to be comfortable. After the eighth or ninth straight argument, Bella burst into tears and wouldn't come out of her dressing room stall until I went inside to get her. Jasper and I had never crossed a mall so quickly in all of our lives. Alice apologized the entire way home, and, of course, Bella forgave Alice as soon as she calmed down.

But maybe I could use her hatred of shopping to get her to agree to a quiet day at home. "Okay. What if we plan to stay in bed all day Saturday? We can talk and watch movies. Would that seem more like quality time to you?"

"No. Let's go on a picnic, Edward."

"Bella, it's February. It's too cold outside."

"Then let's go to Florida for the weekend and have our picnic there."

"You would really let me spend the money to fly us down there for one weekend?" I asked incredulously. Flying to Florida she'd be okay with, but buying maternity clothes required bribery on my part.

"No," she sighed heavily. "I just want to do something different. I don't want to shop and I don't want to sit around all day."

"We could go to the aquarium," I offered.

"And take the chance of me falling into the shark tank? No, thank you."

I chuckled at her, hugging her close. "Yes, my silly Bella, if anyone could manage that, it would be you. What else can we do? How about a museum?"

"Just not the glass one. That would end worse than the shark tank."

"Okay," I chuckled. "How does the Frye Museum sound? You love the lighting there."

"I like that idea. Let's do that."

"Can I take you to Canlis for lunch?" I asked, hoping her cravings would make her agree. Bella hardly ever let me take her anywhere fancy.

"Well…"

"Remember how much you liked their tenderloin and truffle fries when I took you for your birthday last year?"

"Why do you always want to take me expensive places? Can't we just go to Panera and put the money you would have spent toward our house fund?"

"Bella," I groaned, knowing she had just won the discussion by using the house thing against me. "Fine. We'll go somewhere simple."

"Thank you, Edward," she replied, kissing my chin. "I love that you want to lavish me with fancy things, but I really, truly only need you."

"I don't exactly agree with that statement, but it's late and you need your rest. Let's get you changed and into bed."

Bella changed into one of her new maternity pajama sets and then crawled under the covers. "I'm glad you made me get these. They're really comfortable."

"You should be comfortable, Bella. You're working hard to grow a healthy baby for us," I replied, scooting in next to her.

Bella turned on her side, pressing her back against my chest, and my hand moved to cover the small bump of her stomach. "I'm so excited for tomorrow, Edward," Bella yawned. "I want to go _now_."

"From that yawn of yours, I would say your body would prefer you sleep first," I murmured, pressing my lips against her soft neck. "I love you, Bella."

"I love you, Edward," she yawned, reaching back and patting my cheek. "Can we have waffles for breakfast?"

"Of course, Love," I replied, trying not to laugh. It seemed that most of Bella's thoughts were about the baby and food these days, not that I was complaining.

"We'll go see Plain Jane who doesn't stand in the rain," Bella mumbled. I didn't reply, having no idea what that was supposed to mean. I would have to ask her tomorrow and hope she remembered. I waited up long enough to be sure Bella was sleeping soundly and then I let my own self drift off for the night.

Bella woke me the next morning, shaking my shoulder and begging me to get up. Our appointment wasn't until ten-thirty, but she was too excited to keep still. And because I could deny her nothing, I got out of bed at six-fifteen, dressed quickly, and then took my beautiful wife in search of waffles for breakfast.

After breakfast—where I learned that Jane had been a waitress there and that Emmett had liked to call her Plain Jane as a joke—we headed back to the house to wait for it to be a little closer to Bella's appointment time. We found my parents sitting at the kitchen table, drinking coffee and talking quietly.

"Good morning," Bella and I greeted.

"Edward! Bella! Up so early?" my mother asked.

"Edward took me for waffles," Bella said happily, rubbing her hand over her stomach. "The baby _really_ likes whipped cream."

"I'm sure he does," Esme chuckled as she winked at Bella. My mother knew just as well as I did that it was Bella that loved the whipped cream. The baby was just the excuse she used to not feel guilty about eating it.

"How have you been feeling, Bella?" Carlisle asked, always the doctor.

"Still kind of tired at the end of the day, but nothing too bad. My feet have been bothering me this week," Bella replied.

"It might be your shoes. A pregnant woman's feet tend to swell and if your shoes are too tight, it will make you more uncomfortable," my father explained.

"See, Edward! It might not be from me standing up," Bella said defiantly, even poking her tongue at me.

"Standing doesn't help," my father pointed out. We all chuckled at the pout that took over Bella's face at his words.

"Are you excited for your ultrasound today?" my mother asked with a huge smile.

"Esme, what are you doing this morning?" Bella questioned, her head tilting to the side just a little. I wished for the millionth time that I could understand what was going on in that beautiful head of hers.

"I'm sure you don't have anything that can't be rescheduled, Esme," my father said quickly. I wondered if he had some idea of where Bella's question would lead.

"Well, okay, then. I guess I'm doing whatever you have in mind, Bella," my mother said. "What _do_ you have in mind?"

"You're going to get your first glimpse of your grandbaby," Bella declared happily.

My mother got up from the table and hugged Bella, tears standing in her eyes. "Oh, Bella, dear. I would love that."

Bella giggled from within my mother's arms. "It's no big deal. I just know they didn't have those sorts of things when you were pregnant with Edward and Alice, so I thought you might like to see it for yourself."

My mother pulled back, taking Bella's face into her hands and smoothing her hair away from her face. "I would love it. Thank you so much, Bella."

"No, thank _you_!" Bella chuckled. "It's probably a good idea to have some extra help for Edward with the way I get all moody and start crying. We're going to hear the baby's heart today and I just know I'm going to be a happy mess from it."

"Bella, you've been much calmer the past few days. I'm sure you'll be fine," I said, taking her into my arms.

"I have been a little better," she agreed, smiling up at me. "And the best part is, I haven't been sick two mornings in a row."

"Your morning sickness should be all done now that you're in your second trimester," my mother said.

"Good! I was beginning to worry it was never going to go away," Bella replied, leaning into me and resting against my chest. "I've eaten enough crackers to last a lifetime. I wonder how my mother managed to do it twice. Maybe I'll get lucky with our second baby and not have morning sickness at all."

"Second baby?" I asked curiously.

Bella looked up at me with a shy expression. "Well, yeah. I sort of imagined us with one of each, just like with Alice and you, and Emmett and me. But let's not let our first born be as bossy as Alice and Emmett were to us."

"Agreed," I chuckled, leaning down and kissing her lips softly.

"What time should I be ready to go?" my mother asked.

I replied "ten" just as Bella yelled out "nine". My parents laughed at the two of us and I just shook my head at Bella's excitement. "Love, showing up early won't make the doctor see us any sooner. If we leave at ten, we'll get there by ten-fifteen—plenty early and still time to wait."

"I know," Bella sighed. "I'm just really excited."

"It's hardly noticeable," my father teased, smiling at Bella. Bella just smiled back in reply, hugging me a little tighter.

After spending a few more minutes with my parents, Bella and I wandered over to my piano. I played her lullaby, or as she liked to call it, her "super-secret composition". I managed to convince her to pick up her guitar and play for me. It was the country song she'd made me listen to on the night she'd moved into the house. It was nice to hear her play, even if she hadn't felt up to singing for me. She said she was too excited and wouldn't be able to keep her voice steady.

After playing a few more songs for Bella, we headed into the living room to relax and wait for the time to pass. Bella stretched out on the sofa and rested her head in my lap, looking up at me and talking about everything that popped into that amazing head of hers. She started off telling me about a camping trip her family had gone on and how she'd fallen out of the canoe…twice. That somehow led her into a conversation about her favorite type of pie—apple—and how she really needed to learn to bake. And from there, my beautiful wife's mind tied some invisible string between apple pie and kangaroos. Bella informed me that one day, she and I would have to go to Australia, and while there, we would have to visit the Sydney Opera House, meet some Aborigines, and take pictures of kangaroos for Emmett. For some reason, I immediately pictured Emmett trying to lasso a kangaroo.

Bella glanced up at the clock above the television and squealed excitedly. "It's five 'til. Can we _please_ leave now, Edward?" Between the shine in her brown eyes the way she had said "please", there was no denying her.

I smiled and leaned down, placing a light kiss on her soft lips. "Let's go, Love."

"Yeah!" Bella cheered as I helped her up from the sofa. "Esme? Are you ready?"

"I'm ready, Dear," my mother replied, walking in from the kitchen. "Oh, I wish Carlisle could have come along with us, but he had a surgery scheduled for this morning."

"Maybe next time, Mom," I said, opening the door for Bella and her. I kept Bella's hand in mine, making sure she couldn't run off and end up tripping and falling—she was too excited for her own good. "Bella, if you stop tugging on my arm, I can lock the front door faster," I told her.

"Sorry, Tutor-boy," she chuckled. "I'm excited! I want to see our baby again and hear his little heart."

Her excitement was infectious and I found myself hurrying to lock the door so we could be on our way. Hopefully, the doctor would have nothing but good things to report about Bella and the baby. These were exciting times for us both and I wanted us to enjoy them without worry—just like Emmett had told me to do.

* * *

Hello!! I sure hope you all are having a wonderful Saturday. I love this chapter because we finally start to see a bit of the Bella from LLC, full of humor and enjoying life with Edward. We are moving forward a little to get them to that happier stage. And I've decided on the drama! I really think you guys are going to like it. The source will be introduced in a few more chapters.

Just want to give a shout out to my new beta who started with this chapter. My good friend, George, has agreed to help me weave a fine story for you all. So yeah!

And if you have the time on this lovely Saturday (at least where I am), please take a moment to head over to my website and visit the **October is Pink** section. I've got a special little deal posted for anyone who spends the time to go over and do something to help women everywhere. The link is on my profile page.

As always, thank you all so much for reading and reviewing. It's amazing to have this human story loved so much!


	13. Heartbeat & a Bump

**DISCLAIMER:** The characters do not belong to me…they are all the creation of the wonderful Stephenie Meyer.

**A Heartbeat & a Bump**

**Edward's POV**

When we arrived at Dr. Johnson's office, Bella took my mother over to the counter and introduced her to Nurse Elliot. The three of them had a lengthy conversation about Bella and how much she looked like Renee these days. Bella smiled the entire time, not a single tear coming into those chocolate eyes of hers. I smiled, glad that she was able to hear these stories and actually enjoy them now.

Bella was finally called into the back and she practically skipped down the hall to meet up with Mallory and have her vitals taken. Bella wasn't all that happy with the weigh-in. Personally, I wasn't pleased with her blood pressure, but I kept quiet, waiting to see what Dr. Johnson would have to say about it.

Bella, my mother, and I were led into one of the exam rooms and left alone for Bella to change. Once she was in her gown, I lifted her up onto the table, just as I had done the previous visit and planned to do at every single visit. The last thing we needed was for her to fall while trying to hop up onto an exam table.

"I'm so excited," Bella chirped, squeezing my hand tightly.

"I know," I said, giving her a stern look. "Your blood pressure clearly showed that." Okay, so I wasn't going to be able to patiently wait for the doctor to mention it. But in my defense, too many things could happen from elevated blood pressure and I wasn't going to let Bella take chances with her life.

I tried to relax and think of what Emmett had told me. He'd said it was important to enjoy the pregnancy and not worry about things outside of my control. If nothing else, this baby was helping to make Emmett and me closer.

"It wasn't _that_ bad," Bella protested, calling my attention back to her.

"It could be worse, but it certainly needs to be better," Dr. Johnson said, entering the room. "Hello, Bella, Edward."

"Hello," Bella chirped.

"Hi," I said, chuckling at Bella's enthusiasm despite my worries over her health. "Dr. Johnson, this is my mother, Esme."

"Ah! The lucky grandmother," Dr. Johnson said, shaking my mother's hand. "It's nice to meet you, Esme."

"And you, Dr. Johnson. Bella speaks very highly of you," my mother replied with a smile.

"That's good to hear. Hopefully, it means she's going to listen to me." Dr. Johnson turned his attention toward Bella, giving her a stern look. "Now, Bella, we need to talk about your blood pressure."

Bella pulled up her bottom lip and blew out a breath, ruffling the hair that was lying across her forehead. "I'm sorry for being so excited. But in my defense, I've been waiting weeks for this appointment."

"What exactly has you so worked up about our visit today?" Dr. Johnson asked, sitting on his stool and sliding it over to Bella's side.

"I want to hear my little boy's heartbeat," Bella replied, her eyes growing moist as her smile widened.

Dr. Johnson smiled along with her and patted her hand. "Why don't we do that first then? We'll give you a chance to relax and then we'll take your blood pressure again. If it's down, then we know you really were just overly excited."

He rolled out the ultrasound machine just as he'd done last time. He also warned Bella about the cold and then applied the gel to her stomach. The only differences were that this time, my mother was at my side and there was a fast-paced heartbeat filling the air around us.

Bella gasped and tears started to trickle out of her eyes. She looked up at me, giving the biggest smile I'd seen yet. "It's so beautiful, Edward! It's so fast, too."

"That's perfectly normal at this stage," Dr. Johnson assured her. "The rhythm is steady and strong, both excellent signs." My eyes were glued to the small screen as Dr. Johnson continued to move the wand along Bella's abdomen.

"Is that a foot?" my mother asked excitedly, leaning across Bella and pointing at the screen.

"Yes," Dr. Johnson chuckled. "And here's the other one," he added, moving the wand just a little more. The wand slowly inched across Bella's skin until the baby's head was in view.

"Is that…Is he…" I stuttered, not quite believing what I was seeing.

"If that is indeed a 'he', then _he_ is sucking his thumb, Edward," Dr. Johnson replied.

"It's definitely a boy," Bella assured her doctor. "And he's going to look just like his daddy."

"Edward! Use your camera phone thingy and get a picture of that for your father," my mother ordered, shaking my arm.

"And send it to Emmett after. Oh, and Rosalie and Alice and Jasper, too! And don't forget Angela and Ben. And Jacob if you have his number." There were hardly any breaths between Bella's words.

"Isabella," I called, getting her to stop and take a breath.

"Sorry. I'm relaxing! I promise," she said sheepishly, relaxing completely against the table. "Is he still sucking his thumb?"

"Yes, Dear," Esme replied, moving up to stroke Bella's hair and help calm her. "But if you start moving around and getting all excited again, Edward won't be able to get the picture for you."

I quickly took a few pictures, knowing Dr. Johnson didn't have all day to spend on just us. He took a few measurements to calculate the baby's rate of development, and let Bella listen to the heartbeat one more time before turning off the machine.

"Yuck," Bella muttered as I helped her to wipe the gel from her stomach. "I'm going to need a shower when I get home."

"How about you take a bath instead?" I suggested.

"You're only saying that to get me off my feet."

"And your point?" I asked, smirking at her.

She poked her tongue at me, and then she smiled, letting me know she wasn't really upset with me.

"Time to check your blood pressure again," Dr. Johnson said, fixing the cuff against Bella's arm.

I didn't realize how nervous I was until my mother grabbed my hand and squeezed it. I gave her a thankful smile and a kiss on the cheek, glad that she was here with me. She knew about Bella's family history, too.

Dr. Johnson smiled as he lifted his head up. "Back within normal ranges," he announced happily. "But, Bella, you really are going to have to work harder at keeping yourself calm. It's not good for you, or the baby, for your blood pressure to be elevated for long."

"So what do I need to do?" Bella asked, as I helped her to sit up.

"First of all, calm down," Dr. Johnson said, giving Bella a stern look. "This is your first pregnancy, Bella. I want you to relax and enjoy every part of it. It'll make it that much better for you and your baby. As long as you're working, I want you to rest every chance you get. And if you're excited about something, sit down and tell someone. No jumping around, young lady."

"Yes, sir," Bella replied, looking repentant.

"Secondly, you're going to have to pay more attention to what you eat. Stay away from salty foods and snacks. Add more fruits and vegetables to your diet, and stay away from caffeine as much as possible," Dr. Johnson instructed. "I would also suggest cutting back on sweets and red meat. Just practice moderation and you should be just fine," Dr. Johnson assured her.

Later that night, I held Bella in my arms, watching her sleep and waiting for my favorite part of the night to begin. She'd fallen asleep on my chest while we'd been discussing the types of houses we wanted to look at. My mother had recommended the daughter of one of her garden club members, and Bella and I would be viewing houses with Heidi this weekend.

"No, no baby," Bella sighed as her sleep-talking started. "Don't put the purple paint on Uncle Emmett. He likes red better." She shifted a little in my arms and then relaxed, a goofy smile spreading across her face. "You have daddy's hair. No, Alice. No hair-care products. He's only a baby."

I chuckled at her imaginative dreams, only slightly jealous that she hadn't said my name yet. In the past few weeks, more and more of her dreams were about our baby. But I knew my name would the last thing I heard before her talking stopped—that never changed.

"Rose, don't tell Edward," Bella sighed, her face scrunching up in aggravation. "The chicken wing followed me home and I had to eat it. Yes, it did the chicken dance. Why do you think I ate it?"

I couldn't stop myself from laughing loudly and I quickly pushed my lips together, hoping I hadn't woken her. She started to stir and her eyes fluttered a bit so I started to hum her lullaby, hoping to coax her back into a deep sleep.

She slowly relaxed, pulling herself closer to me at the same time. "Edward…" Her lips curled up into a smile as she repeated my name.

I still had no clue how I'd gotten so lucky, having this beautiful woman drop into my life and end up loving me. I'd never really put myself out there, too afraid of being hurt. If not for Alice being such a bossy big sister, I might never have met Bella…and my life certainly wouldn't have any sunlight to it. All of the warmth I felt came from the angel in my arms.

I carefully moved her off of me and under the covers, fairly certain that she would stay asleep. I had a few papers to look over for my classroom and I also wanted to sneak in some time at my piano.

My feet had just touched the living room floor when my cellphone buzzed, playing Emmett's very apt ringtone of "What's My Age Again?" by Blink 182. If I didn't personally know him, I'd never believe he would be twenty-eight years old soon.

"Hey, Em," I answered.

"Eddie, what's up?"

"I still hate that name," I sighed, knowing that was exactly why Emmett did it.

"Thanks for the pic of my little nephew. Can't wait for when the little guy gives us a shot of his wanker. I'm putting that sucker on the fridge." And it was phrases like that, that made it impossible for me to believe Emmett was older than me.

"What can I do for you, Emmett?"

"You can put my baby sister on the old tel-e-phone."

"She's asleep."

"Already?"

"She had a full day."

"Yeah, and she is preggers. I remember how Rosie used to fall asleep on me all the time. So what'd the doc have good to say?"

"He said everything looked good with the baby and that the heartbeat sounded strong. He also wants Bella to work on relaxing more and watch her diet. Her blood pressure was a little high today."

"How high?"

"Only slightly elevated and Dr. Johnson assured us it was because Bella was so excited about the appointment today. He made her lie down and when he took her pressure again, it was back in the normal ranges."

"I know this kid isn't much to look at, but with his thumb like that, he's a cute kid already," Emmett chuckled, trying to move away from the serious part of the conversation. "But are you sure that's his thumb, Edward? Babies are pretty limber in the womb."

"Emmett, you're a pig."

"And your point?"

"None at all, Em. None at all."

"Hey, Rosie's calling for me so I'll talk with you later."

"Night, Emmett."

"Night, Eddie-boy," he chuckled before ending the call.

I shook my head as I put my phone away, knowing no amount of pleading was going to get Emmett to give up "Eddie" as a nickname for me. It was as permanent as Bella's "Tutor-boy".

I made my way into my music room, spreading my papers out across the top as I sat down at my bench. I'd just started working when my cellphone starting ringing again, playing another very familiar ringtone. I smiled as I pulled out the phone. "To what do I owe this honor, Mrs. Hale?"

"He's beautiful, Edward," Alice sobbed into the phone.

"What are you crying for?" I asked, trying not to laugh at her. She could be as silly as Bella some days.

"It's just so amazing, Edward. He's part of you and part of Bella and it's amazing."

"You said 'amazing' twice," I chuckled.

"So where is my best friend?" Alice sniffled.

"Sound asleep."

"Good. She needs to rest and take care of my little nephew."

"We're all going to be in trouble if this baby ends up being a girl," I laughed.

"No, we won't. We'll just have a beautiful little girl to spoil and dress up," Alice chirped. "So did Mom cry when she saw the picture?"

"Actually, Mom saw straight from the ultrasound screen, but there were no tears."

"Mom got to go?" Alice gasped. "How come I wasn't invited?"

"It was a last minute decision. If you want to be at an appointment, talk to Bella about it. I'm sure she won't mind."

"Of course she won't. I _am_ her best friend after all."

I chuckled at my sister's silliness. "And as such, you'll have to behave. The doctor said to keep Bella calm, so you're going to have to tone down your exuberance around her. You know she gets just as hyper as you when the two of you get together."

Alice ignored my lecture, having heard it once before already. "So what did you think of seeing the baby today, little brother?"

"He's beautiful, Ali. Just like you said," I replied, smiling happily at the thought of my baby and his amazing mother.

"Jasper just came through the door," Alice announced, sounding very excited.

"What's he doing coming home so late?"

"Big, big project at the office. That promotion is so close. I'm so glad I just did the small wedding so Jasper could be here to work like this."

I could hear in her voice that she was excited to have him home, so I decided to let her off easy tonight. "Well, if anyone deserves a promotion, it's Jasper. Why don't you go tell him I said that?"

"Are you sure, Edward? I don't have to cut our call short."

"It's fine, Ali. I have some papers to grade anyway."

"Alright. I love you, little brother."

"I love _you_, big sis. Night."

"Kiss Bella and the baby for me!" Alice said quickly before hanging up.

I smiled as I laid my phone on the piano, wondering how Jasper put up with Alice's exuberance all day every day.

The next time I glanced at the phone, it was nearly midnight. I quickly gathered up the papers I'd brought downstairs and headed up to my room. I hadn't meant to stay up so late, but I'd started making progress on the baby's song and couldn't bring myself to stop.

I watched Bella's sleeping form as I changed into pajama pants; the way the moonlight came through the window and rested against her cheek made her skin look like porcelain from here. But I'd touched her face enough times to know her skin would feel like silk under my fingertips.

I slid under the covers and snuggled Bella closer to me, careful not to wake her. I placed a soft kiss on the small bump of her stomach and then whispered goodnight to my beautiful little family.

My Thursday morning started out in the best possible way…with my lovely wife whispering my name and kissing my lips. My arms wound around her as my eyes opened to take in the glorious sight of my angel. "Morning, Love."

"Morning, Edward. As peaceful as you looked sleeping, I had to wake you. We each have to go be Professor Cullen for our students."

"And you have to do it from your chair behind your desk," I reminded her.

"Sure, sure," Bella sighed. And then she instantly perked up. "Can we schedule lunch together today?"

"As long as you take something to snack on. I don't want you waiting until one-thirty to eat, Bella."

"Shows what you know," she chuckled. "Esme has been packing me snacks for the last two weeks. And before you even ask, yes, they're healthy."

"In that case, I would love to have lunch with my beautiful wife."

And because I had something so wonderful to look forward to, my day dragged on and on. It seemed nearly every one of my female students found a lame excuse to take up the little bit of time I had between classes. And one student in particular was more annoying than the others because she was actually holding me up from lunch with my wife.

"Victoria, I'm sorry, but I don't have the time to speak with you about this now. Come by my office tomorrow between four and five-thirty during the hours I normally set aside for my students. I have an extremely important meeting that I must get to," I explained while gathering my things and heading for the door.

"Okay, Professor. I'll see you tomorrow. It's a date," Victoria assured me as she made sure to try and leave through the door at the same time as me. But I'd seen girls like her before and I was able to move away quick enough to avoid her touching me. There was only one woman I wanted that close to me and she was probably growing very impatient with me at the moment.

With Victoria safely gone, I took off running, crossing the campus as quickly as I could. I'd promised Bella I would meet her at her classroom as soon as the period was over and now I was fifteen minutes late. I'd never liked being late, and I hated keeping my wife waiting.

I met up with Bella halfway to her building. "I'm so sorry, Bella," I said, putting an arm around her shoulders as we started walking toward the parking lot.

"It's fine," she said. "James entertained me until I got too bored waiting for you and decided to come find you myself."

"James?"

"He's one of my students. He's probably going to be the brightest in the class. His writing is a little rough, but he has great comprehension skills."

"And you just went completely over my head, Professor Cullen," I joked, leaning down to kiss the side of her neck.

"So why are you late?"

"One of my students ambushed me after class and I could barely get in a word to tell her I had somewhere extremely important to be."

"_Her_, huh?" Bella asked, looking up at me. "I've been wondering something, Honey."

"What's that, Love?"

"Do any of the females who take your class actually pass? Or are they all too distracted by the amazing Professor Cullen to get good grades?"

"Funny, Bella," I said, shaking my head at her.

"I'm just saying! If I was a student in your class, I'm sure I would have trouble tearing my eyes away from your green ones, or your hair, or the rest of you," she said, giggling at the end.

"Just get in the car," I chuckled, holding the door open for her. It was a nice change to have the teasing Bella back for a bit, even if she was giving me the hard time.

I drove us to Bella's new favorite spot—Panera—and stood in line for our food while Bella found us a place to sit. When I was finally able to join her, I found her sitting in a booth and rubbing her stomach.

"Are you feeling sick?" I asked, putting the plates down on the table.

"Nope!" she answered with a bright smile. "I'm finally getting a bump." She pulled me to sit down next to her and took my hand into hers, placing them both under her shirt. "Do you feel it?"

I was pretty sure I was grinning like an idiot, but I couldn't have cared less. This was too amazing not to be excited about it. "Yeah, I do."

"Just think, Edward! In four or five weeks, we should start to feel him kick for the first time."

"That'll be an amazing experience for us. Now, how about we get some food in you?"

Bella nodded her head and I took my hand back, sliding her plate in front of her. "Did you get everything like I wanted?" she asked.

"I asked for everything like you wanted, but I can't vouch for if the staff listened."

She lifted up a corner of her bread and inspected her sandwich. "Turkey, onions, cheese, pickles, mustard, ketchup, and just a little ranch…Yep! It's all here."

"Yum," I lied.

"Liar," Bella chuckled.

"Completely," I agreed.

"You know, you should leave the bacon off your Bacon Turkey Bravo. One of your perfect abs lost a fraction of definition and we can't have that. You must always look like a Greek God for me. I think you should diet," Bella announced, barely stopping herself from laughing. We both knew she was only teasing since we were exercising together in the afternoons to make sure Bella did her Baby Yoga like she was supposed to. Plus, I always left the bacon off since neither Bella nor I liked the stuff.

"And to think I was actually missing that sense of humor of yours," I teased, leaning over and kissing her cheek.

Bella just shrugged her shoulders and took another bite of her sandwich. "You're perfect, you know. Well, at least as much as any man can be."

"Thanks, I think," I laughed.

"I didn't mean it in a bad way. Just sometimes you get too protective, like Em. But I know you mean well."

"I do," I agreed.

As was usual with Bella, her next sentence had nothing to do with her previous one. "Edward, can you please either cook for your parents or send them out to dinner one night soon? I want to show them how much I appreciate everything they've been doing for us, especially your mother. I still can't believe she did our laundry like that."

"She really didn't mind," I assured Bella.

"I minded," Bella snorted. "It wouldn't have been bad if it had been our work clothes and stuff, but my unmentionables were in there."

"Unmentionables?" I laughed, unable to help myself.

Bella laughed, tossing a chip at me. "Yes! Especially to your mother! That racy black number you bought and like so much is not exactly something they had in your mother's time."

"Excuse you, but my mother is not _that_ old. Her time isn't up yet and she has a few little racy items herself."

"And how do you know _that_?" Bella asked, looking shocked as she handed me her bottle of water to open.

I figured she was in a good mood and I could risk the truth. "When she helped me pick out your black outfit, she picked up a few things for herself."

"It's both nice and strange that your parents aren't the kind that pretend they've never had sex."

I nearly spit my own water all over myself at Bella's words. "Yeah, really good thing," I laughed. "Especially since Alice and I prove that they at least have some working knowledge of the mechanics of it all."

Bella gave me a bright smile as she looked up at me. "I love how you get wordy when you're nervous or surprised, Tutor-Boy."

I leaned down and pressed my lips to hers, getting a wonderful kiss from my beautiful wife. "You spoil me, Isabella."

"And you don't do the same to me?" she laughed, scooting closer so that she was practically resting against my side. "At least the way I spoil you doesn't involve tons of money being spent."

"Eat your lunch," I said, shaking my head at her.

"We house hunt this weekend," Bella mentioned, pulling a pickle slice from her sandwich and popping it into her mouth.

"Yep. Maybe we'll see something we like and can afford."

"Yeah, well, the afford part not so much. At least not until Emmett can sell the house."

"He called last night. He finally got in touch with Heidi and she's going to go look at the house with him tomorrow. If she thinks there's potential, she's agreed to be the agent for a very reasonable fee."

"Please, please remind me to call Em and Alice tonight before I fall asleep. I haven't talked to either of them in days and they've got to be annoyed with me."

"No, they most certainly are not. They know you're pregnant and they both would rather you rest for you and the baby than to spend time listening to their nonsense."

"That's not true," Bella said, singing the words a little. "Alice never calls her fashion world nonsense. It is the axis of the world."

"Do you still want to go to the museum? Or was that just a late night idea?"

"Late night idea. I forgot about the house hunting. Oh! You know another great idea? We need to come up with a music list."

"For?"

"For the baby, Silly! We can pick which songs we want to expose him to, and then figure out what sort of taste in music he has. I hope he'll be eclectic and like lots of stuff."

"If he's anything like his mother, I'm sure he will be."

Bella's face lit up at my words, and I couldn't get over how much I'd missed seeing her smile like this. The second trimester was definitely a favorite of mine so far. Now if we could just get lucky with the house hunting, things would really be falling into place for us.

* * *

Thanks to George for being proofreader / idea bouncer-off-er.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and I'm trying to help the Click for Free Mammogram website reach their monthly goal. Anyone who visits the **October is Pink** section of my webpage and emails me to let me know they've clicked will get a sneak peek at the Vampire Bella story I'm writing especially for Halloween. The link is on my profile page. It only takes a minute and it helps saves lives!

And thank you all for continuing to read and to enjoy this story! It makes my weekened to see how much you guys love them as humans.


	14. House Hunting

**Hello!**

I got a little behind schedule because of a nasty cold, and I didn't want to hold up posting, so here you guys are. If you see any mistakes, let me know and I'll get them fixed up! I'm going to do my best to have another chapter tomorrow, but this might be a one chapter weekend. If it turns out that way, you'll get three chapters next weekend.

Hope you all enjoy this house hunting chapter. A few of the scarier things I've seen made it in here and a good suggestion from George. Have fun!!

**DISCLAIMER:** The characters do not belong to me…they are all the creation of the wonderful Stephenie Meyer.

**House Hunting**

**Bella's POV**

"Bella, we have to get up," Edward sighed, kissing my little bump.

"Didn't we establish that earlier?" I chuckled, trying to wiggle away as he kissed along my side, tickling me with his soft lips.

"Yes, but you didn't move."

"And whose fault is that?" I asked, wrapping my arms around his neck as he finally brought his face back up to mine.

"Yours. You're too sexy," he answered, giving me that crooked smile I loved so much.

"Oh, no! You aren't blaming this on me, Tutor-boy," I laughed, pushing him away. "You were the one who said, and I quote, 'Love, we have plenty of time for a round two'."

"And we did," he murmured, nibbling on my earlobe. "But then you decided you wanted to cuddle and now we have to hurry."

I pulled his face to mine so I could see those dazzling green eyes of his. "I love you."

He smiled and kissed the tip of my nose. "I love you more." With one last kiss to my bump, Edward jumped up from our bed, holding his hands out to me. "Let's go look at some houses."

I put my hands into his, letting him pull me up from the bed. "Promise we can continue this when we come home?"

"You need to ask?" he laughed, leading me toward our closet.

"I wouldn't want to become presumptuous," I teased, grinning at him.

Edward carefully spun me around and pulled me against his chest. "Isabella, always presume that I want to enjoy every inch of your sumptuous body."

I rolled my eyes and pushed away from him, walking into the closet. "It's lines like that, that make us late all the time, Edward Cullen."

He wrapped his arms around me from behind, kissing the nape of my neck. "It's not the line that makes us late. It's being so in love with each other and not keeping our hands to ourselves."

"I have the very distinct impression that even if we tried, we'd still fail," I chuckled.

"I'm pretty sure you're right, my lovely wife."

"Well, we can wax philosophic about our love life later, Honey. Right now, we need to be getting dressed and heading downtown."

"Make sure you wear comfortable clothes," Edward cautioned. "I don't know how much walking we'll be doing."

I nodded my head as I surveyed my new maternity clothes. I needed something warm, loose, and that would go with sneakers. I ended up picking a beautiful light gray cashmere sweater Edward had picked out for me and my new maternity jeans.

I'd packed away all of my old stuff with Esme's help, and I hadn't had a single wardrobe problem since. Alice was happy because I was actually enjoying shopping right now, getting to pick out things that showed off my bump. I couldn't wait to get big and round for some reason—Alice thought I was nuts, but Rose seemed to get it. The baby was definitely bringing us all closer—Edward and Emmett weren't fighting anymore, Rose and I were talking about our parents more than ever, and Alice was spending more of her free time at the house with Esme and me.

"You look absolutely beautiful," Edward whispered, snaking his arms around me as I checked over myself in the bathroom mirror. His hands spread out over my bump and rubbed softly—that look of awe that was becoming a familiar expression on his handsome face took over, curling his lips up in a brilliant smile.

"I was thinking there was something I wanted to do," I mentioned, reaching back and putting my hand on his cheek.

"What's that, Love?"

"I was thinking maybe we could start to take pictures of my belly, and measurements too. Then, when the baby is older, he can see how much he grew when he was inside of me."

Edward's sneaky smirk appeared for a fraction of a second before quickly disappearing behind a smooth façade. "I think that's a great idea, Bella. We should add finding a baby book to our list of things to do this coming week."

He was up to something, but glancing at my watch convinced me I didn't have time to worry about it right now. We finished dressing, grabbed a quick—and overly nutritious—breakfast, and then left for Heidi's office. I understood the need to eat healthy, but denying me syrup on my apple oatmeal was just wrong!

We made it to Heidi's office with only a few minutes to spare and were directed to a small waiting room. Edward had planned ahead for such an event and had brought our baby tablet with us. We were using it to keep track of everything we wanted for the baby, the things Alice had already purchased, and the things we wanted to make sure we remembered to share with the baby.

There was also a section devoted to what I was eating, how much weight I was gaining, and to tracking my blood pressure. I'd decided after my visit this week that I wanted Carlisle to check it once a day, just so I could make sure everything was okay. Edward had been ecstatic at the idea, not that I was the least bit surprised by that. Anything that ensured my safety and well-being was a great idea in his book.

"No way, Tutor-boy," I laughed, pulling the tablet out of Edward's hands as soon as I saw what he'd written. We were currently working on the music list for the baby while waiting for Heidi to be ready to see us. "We are not letting the baby listen to Judas Priest while in utero, much less when he's born," I said.

"Come on, Bella! He won't know what the words mean for quite awhile. In the meantime, he can rock out to the beat," Edward replied, trying to use his crooked smile to get me to agree.

"No," I replied, holding the tablet against my chest.

"You put AC/DC on there," he pointed out.

"AC/DC has a fun, uplifting beat to it," I defended.

"And the country songs?" he asked, one of his perfect eyebrows lifting upward.

I leaned in and kissed his lips. "The better to annoy you with, my dear. If the baby and I both like country, you'll have to let me listen to it more." I kissed him again, trying to leave him too distracted to worry about my next words. "Like in your car."

But because he was Edward, he heard it perfectly. "I love you, Isabella, but _hell_ no."

"I thought you loved me," I pouted.

He chuckled and kissed my bottom lip. "I do. But I also love my sanity. No country in the car."

"Sure, sure," I sighed. And then I perked up. "But there's no such rule when you ride in _my_ car."

"We have to get you that car first," he reminded me. "And we are doing that this afternoon. No more putting it off, Bella."

"I only put it off because we got all serious about finding a house," I defended.

"I know that, Love. But it might be months before we find the perfect house and I don't want you driving that old heap around in the meantime."

"I cannot believe you're calling my car a heap."

"Bella, it's a ten year old Nissan Sentra. Calling it a heap is a kindness."

I wanted to be mad at him, but I could only laugh—he was right after all.

"Mr. and Mrs. Cullen?" a tall woman asked, smiling at us. She had her dark hair pulled up into a bun on top of her head and she was dressed in a pale green business suit with black high heels, making her even taller. The outfit made her green eyes stand out, calling attention to her perfect face. She could almost give Rosalie some competition.

Edward helped me up from my seat and stuck his hand out. "Just Edward and Bella, please. Mr. and Mrs. Cullen are my parents."

"Okay, then," the woman laughed, shaking his hand. "I'm Heidi. And I'm pleased to meet you both."

"Likewise," Edward said as we followed her down a short hallway and into a brightly decorated office.

"Please take a seat. We'll spend just a few minutes discussing the type of house you're interested in, print out some possibilities, and then go view them," Heidi said, sitting down behind her desk. "Let's start with the basics. How much are you looking to spend?"

"It's our first home, so we want something we can grow into. We'll need something with at least three bedrooms, and it has to be in a safe neighborhood. I'm willing to pay whatever it costs to make that happen," Edward told her.

I squeezed his hand, trying to subtly remind him that what he was spouting was _not_ what we'd discussed earlier in the week. We'd agreed we needed a safe home in a good school district, but we'd also agreed we wouldn't overspend. I knew Carlisle and Esme could buy us a house outright if we asked, but I wanted to get this house on our own—or at least as close to that as possible.

"Of course, the cost should be reasonable for the size of the house and yard," Edward added.

"So you would like a yard as well?" Heidi asked.

"Yes. A yard is very important," I told her. "Our baby boy needs to have room to run."

Heidi gave me a kind smile. "I'd heard you two were expecting. Are you excited?"

"Very," I replied, smiling as Edward put his hand on my bump.

"What else would you like your home to have?" Heidi questioned.

"There has to be room to fit a full-size piano," I told her. "Edward has to have his piano."

"Is that why your brother is selling your parents' house?" she asked.

"Yes. It's much too small and it would take too much to alter the house to make fitting the piano possible," I said.

"I can tell you've both had time to think about this carefully. That's very good. And it will make things much easier because you'll know quickly what's a true possibility and what's a definite no. Just in keep in mind that no house already built will meet your expectations exactly. You'll have to prioritize and compromise, unless you decide to purchase land and have a house custom-built for you," Heidi explained.

"Let's just keep that as a last resort," I said, not liking the way Edward had perked up at the mention of a custom-built house. I would have to make it very clear to my darling husband that it was not even a remote possibility for him.

We answered a few more questions and then Heidi printed up a list of houses she felt met our criteria. We left her office and climbed into her shiny white Lexus SUV—Edward seemed impressed with the vehicle, looking all around it. I hoped he wasn't getting any silly ideas into his head. I agreed I needed a new, safe car, but I was not going to get something this big just for our little family of three. Three! I loved that word so much right now.

I realized I'd been daydreaming again and forced myself to pay attention, catching the tail-end of what Heidi was saying. "…so I got into the real estate business."

"My dad wanted me to go to medical school to follow in his footsteps, but music has always been what I loved most," Edward said. "Except for my beautiful wife," he quickly added.

I shook my head at his silly behavior; we both knew he didn't need to say it out loud because it was always implied. Edward had made it very clear to me early on in our relationship that he felt I was the most important thing in his life, and I did my best to show him I felt that way about him.

"This first house is a little eccentric, but if you can picture your own furniture and wall colors, it will really help you to objectively look at the property," Heidi said as she pulled to a stop in the driveway of a one-story brick home.

"What kind of eccentric are we talking about?" Edward asked, helping me out of the vehicle.

"Just some interesting wall colors, furniture pieces, and murals," Heidi said. Her heels clacked loudly against the pavement, echoing in the stillness of the early morning.

I looked up and down the street, seeing lots of bicycles, swings, and toys—signs that children lived in this neighborhood. And it suddenly dawned on me that we'd forgotten to even put that on our list—the baby was going to need playmates after all. Well, ones closer to his own age anyway. He would always have his Uncle Emmett.

Edward and I started walking toward the front door where Heidi was waiting for us. We entered the house and I looked around cautiously, not quite sure what to expect. We were in a living room and it looked fairly normal. Well, except for the giant white chair that was in the shape of a hand. From the looks of it, you sat in the palm and rested your back against the fingers.

Heidi turned on a light and the wall color popped out, showing that it wasn't the soft coral color I'd first thought, but a pumpkin orange that looked horrible against the green carpet on the floor.

"Under the carpet is the original wood flooring. It wouldn't cost much at all to remove the carpet, sand the floor, and have beautiful hard wood floors in here. And remember that walls can be painted and none of the furniture is staying," Heidi said.

"It's a cozy living room," Edward noted. "Maybe a little small for the entire family to be in here at once, but just perfect for most days when it's you and me," he added, wrapping his arms around me.

"There's a room that the owners' added a few years ago near the back. It's about double the size of this one and would be perfect for entertaining, or for putting your piano," Heidi said. "Let's move onto the kitchen."

We followed Heidi to the right and into the kitchen. The floor was white tile…except for the yellow and black ones in the middle of the room that made up a giant smiley face. I covered my mouth with my hands to keep from laughing, but that did nothing for the loud snort that flew out of my nose.

"Replacing a tile floor is a bit trickier," Heidi said, smiling a little. "So I always suggest a circular throw rug. All of the cabinets in here are fairly new, replaced two years ago."

"Why did they replace them?" Edward asked, opening one of the doors to look inside.

Heidi smiled, but it looked forced and more like a grimace. "The husband likes to experiment when he cooks. There was a rather nasty explosion while he was working with some unique ingredients. It was easier to replace everything than to try and clean up the mess."

"How unique were these ingredients?" I asked.

"I'd rather not say," Heidi sighed. "I wish _I_ didn't know."

"While this house might have potential, I don't want to worry about remodeling right away," Edward said. "I don't want paint fumes and construction dust around Bella and the baby."

"Then let's move on to the next house," Heidi replied, looking all too happy to leave this house. It made me wonder why she'd shown it to us at all.

So I decided to ask. "Heidi, why did you show this particular house to us?"

"Honestly, the yard and the neighborhood make up for the short-comings of the house if you have the time and resources to remodel. Every room needs new wall coverings and most need new flooring as well, but the roof and exterior are in great shape. The house is close to schools and shopping, and this is one of the safest areas in town," she explained.

"Emmett and I are already working on one house. I just don't see us having the time to take on a second," Edward told her. "And even if we did, it would still take us months to get through every room."

"I agree," Heidi said. "So let's take anything needing major remodeling out of the list and narrow your choices a little further."

The next two houses were very cute, but the yards were really small. I wanted room to have a little area for entertaining our family and to have one of those big swing sets with the fort for the baby.

The fourth house of the day was one of my favorites, but Edward didn't like all of the stairs. You climbed a set to enter the front door and once inside, you either climbed up a few more to reach the living areas, or went down a set to get to the laundry room, garage area, and bonus room. The downstairs room was the perfect size for his piano and would have been easy to soundproof. The living room was large, but the kitchen and bedrooms were on the small side. The best part was the huge backyard and its six tall shade trees. We ended up agreeing to put it down as a possibility.

The last house we saw for the day was pretty amazing. It hadn't been on Heidi's list, but I'd noticed it as we were driving back toward town and she'd been sweet enough to quickly make arrangements for us to see it. The house had hard wood floors, great windows, modern fixtures, and a huge backyard. Edward didn't like that the garage was separate from the house, but he was happy it was large enough to fit two cars and still have room for storage. The kitchen had granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, and dark wood cabinets. The windows looked out onto the backyard, making it easy to keep an eye on anyone who might be out there. I could see Edward and me cooking in that kitchen, working together at the island. Edward loved the backyard nearly as much as I did and immediately started talking about extending the deck to give us an area for cooking and sitting. Even if he did it on a grand scale, there would be tons of room for our little boy to run and play. I wrote the address down on our possibility sheet and then Edward underlined it, giving me his crooked smile as he did it.

"I'm sorry that's all the time we have for today," Heidi said as we got back into her vehicle.

"It's no problem," Edward assured her. "We're just glad you were able to fit us in at all."

"I would suggest looking over our listings on the website and picking out a few you would like to make sure you see next Saturday. We'll have the entire afternoon blocked off, and with any luck, we'll find the house you'd like to turn into a home," Heidi told us.

Thirty minutes later, we were home, back in our pajamas, and enjoying the chicken salad sandwiches Edward had prepared for us with last night's leftover chicken. I tapped Edward's stomach with one of the feet I had resting in his lap, trying to pull his attention away from the action movie he'd popped in.

"Yes, Love?" he asked, tickling my sock-clad foot lightly.

"I have a question," I giggled.

"What is it?"

"Did you forget about the car thing?"

"No. I decided I wanted to spend the afternoon with you instead. We'll go Monday, right after work."

"I like this plan better," I admitted. "It's too cold. I want spring to come back so it's all nice and warm. And we can _finally_ go on a picnic again."

Edward's faced turned calculating for a few seconds, and then his crooked smile overtook his face. "Close your eyes."

"Why? I'm eating my sandwich."

He reached out and took my plat away, putting it down on the coffee table. "Close your eyes."

"Edward, you just took food from a pregnant woman. Are you _trying_ to lose a hand, Mister?"

"If the beautiful pregnant woman will close her eyes, I will make sure she gets chocolate mousse with fresh whipped cream for dessert."

I narrowed my eyes at him, wondering if he knew how much danger his life would be in if he didn't really have that particular dessert on hand. Not to mention that I wasn't sure I trusted he would really hand it over if he did—he'd been keeping a very close eye on my sweets intake.

"I promise," he said, putting his hand over his heart.

"Fine," I sighed, secretly feeling a little excited to see what he was up to. I closed my eyes and relaxed against the back of the sofa.

"No matter what you hear, don't open those beautiful brown eyes of yours. Okay?"

"Sure, sure. Just hurry up. The baby was really enjoying your chicken salad."

Edward chuckled as he lifted my feet and then moved off the sofa. Over the next few minutes, I heard a few thuds, some grunts and huffs, and one really loud "ouch" that almost had me opening my eyes. And then it grew extremely quiet.

"Edward?" I called. I gave him a full twenty seconds—I counted—and then called his name louder. "Edward!"

"I'm here," he chuckled, kissing my cheek. "I just had to run upstairs for something."

"Food, Edward. Hungry baby and mommy," I reminded him.

"Just a few more seconds," he promised. I felt a rush of air and heard the snapping of fabric, followed by a few dull thuds.

I let out a yelp when Edward suddenly lifted me from the sofa. "Edward, what are you doing?"

He set me down on something soft and kissed my cheek tenderly. "Open your eyes."

I opened just one to peek, not knowing what to expect. What I saw caused my other eye to pop right open as a loud gasp escaped me. Edward had completely transformed the living room. He'd moved away all of the furniture, except the sofa, and had laid out a picnic blanket and pillows. He'd even turned off his movie and changed the channel to one that was showing trees. He pressed a button on the remote and the sound of chirping birds filled the room.

"Do you have any idea at all how amazing you are?" I asked, taking his face into my hands. "Or how special you make me feel?"

He smiled as he leaned forward and stole a kiss. "I hope I make you feel like you're the best part of my life, because you are, Bella. You're my life, now and forever." He reached off to the side and grabbed our plates, handing me back my sandwich. "I hope you enjoy your afternoon picnic, Mrs. Cullen."

"I'm pretty sure I will, Mr. Cullen," I giggled, titling my face up for another kiss.

Edward instantly complied with my silent request, smiling all the way through it. "I love you."

"I love you more," I sighed, resting my head on his shoulder.

"Impossible," he whispered, kissing the top of my head. "And don't argue. Eat your sandwich so you can have your dessert."

"You make it sound like you aren't going to have any of the mousse you promised me."

Edward's lips grazed my ear as he whispered in that husky tone that always drove me wild. "I'm planning on having something a lot sweeter much later on tonight."

I sighed in disbelief, wondering how the heck I had ever ended up with such an amazing husband. A picnic in the living room, providing me the ultimate dessert for any pregnant woman, and promises of passionate love-making to finish out the day. Yep! I had a damn near perfect husband that I loved and appreciated more than I could ever say.

I thought about the last couple of months, of all the changes and all the ways Edward had tried to be supportive and caring. I thought about what he'd been through with my crying all the time, and the extra chores he'd taken on since I had to take those naps. Everything lately had been about me and the baby, and I couldn't recall Edward doing anything for himself.

"Honey, what are our plans for next Sunday?" I asked.

"It's still a free day as far as I can recall," he replied. "Is there something you want to do?"

"Yes. I want you to take the day off."

"Alright. What shall we do with our proclaimed day off?"

"No, Edward. I want _you_ to take the day off. From everything. I want you to do anything you want for the whole day. And eat and drink anything you want, too. You've been so great, doing everything for me and eating only the things I can. Take a Bella-free day and enjoy it."

"What if my idea of the perfect day is spending it with you?"

I smiled at his sweetness. "I can see it's going to take a little more work on my part to get you to agree. Very well, Mr. Cullen. I throw myself to the wolves in order to make sure you have a responsibility-free day." I grabbed the cordless phone and called the one person I knew who could keep Edward away from me for a whole day. I made sure to put it on speakerphone so Edward could hear too.

"Alice Cullen, best friend in all the world at your service," Alice chirped when she answered her phone.

"Ali, I need a favor," I told her, trying not to laugh at the confused look on Edward's face.

"Anything for you, Bells. You know that."

"I would like you to steal me from Edward next Sunday, for the entire day. He needs a break and won't take it unless we force him to," I explained.

"I don't like the sound of that," Edward sighed, shaking his head.

"You never like the sound of anything," Alice laughed. "It's what makes you the serious one of our little family. But never fear, little brother. The _amazing_ Ali is on the case. Rose and I will get together with Esme and plan a pampering day for our favorite mother-to-be. We'll make sure she's relaxed, well-fed, and completely safe while you go off and figure out how to unwind."

"I don't need to unwind," Edward fussed.

Alice didn't miss a beat. "Edward, if your chain was wound any tighter, Bella would have to hose you down with WD-40 to keep you from squeaking."

I pulled my bottom lip between my teeth to keep from laughing, mostly because of the furious look on Edward's face. Plus, I knew laughing would only encourage Alice—she was a lot like Emmett in that way. I took a deep breath before breaking up the silence. "Alice, that was mean and uncalled for. Please apologize."

"Oh, Edward! You know I only tease you because I love you, little brother," Alice said.

"Clearly," Edward muttered.

"Alice, we'll talk later," I told her, wanting to get off the phone and hopefully return Edward to the good mood he'd been in earlier.

"Alright! I have calls to make anyway. Love you both!" Alice chirped into the phone.

I ended the call and tossed the phone onto the sofa as I crawled into my very upset husband's lap. "Honey, you know she didn't mean anything by it. And honestly, she mainly does it because you take it so badly."

Edward's lips pulled up into a beautifully wicked smile as he looked down at me. "You know, it's been awhile since I showed my big sister what happens when she messes with me. Feel up to helping me with a little revenge?"

"So long as it's little and doesn't cause the pixie to retaliate against us all, I'd be happy to help."

"Oh, it's nothing too horrible," Edward chuckled. "I'm just going to make the keys to her beloved Porsche go missing for awhile."

"Oh, Edward," I giggled. Alice loved her Porsche nearly as much as Edward loved his Volvo. He would definitely be hitting her where it hurt.

"Enough about my annoying sister," Edward said, setting me down next to him. "For now, let's just enjoy our picnic. It's nice and warm, and the birds are singing just for you."

I leaned up and kissed my wonderful husband on the cheek. "Thank you, Honey."

"Anything for you, Bella."

I smiled at his words, knowing just how much he meant them. I really hoped Edward would take me seriously and plan something fun for his day off. And maybe if he enjoyed it, he would take a day for himself every month. He couldn't always make every second of his life about me and the baby or he'd start to miss out on the things he loved to do—there was no way in the world I would ever let that happen to him. Even if it took recruiting Emmett and Jasper, I would make sure Edward started to take some time to focus on himself.


	15. Near Miss

**DISCLAIMER:** The characters do not belong to me…they are all the creation of the wonderful Stephenie Meyer.

**Near Miss**

**Bella's POV**

I was behaving today, watching my students exit my class from the comfort of my chair. Alright, so the chair wasn't the most comfortable in the world, but I was behaving and that was the point. When Edward arrived any second now, he would see I was listening and it would give him something to smile about. We'd had a great weekend together and I wanted to keep that feeling of happiness between us going any way that I could.

James was the last in the class once again. Poor guy didn't seem to have any friends in the classroom; he was always the first one here and the last to leave. I really hoped he had friends outside of class. I hated to think of him being in this huge school and feeling lonely.

James made his way down the steps, pushing his thick glasses further up on his nose and giving me a shy smile. Poor guy. "Aren't you leaving, Professor Cullen?" he asked.

"As soon as Edward arrives."

"I can wait with you, if you want."

"Don't you have some friends to meet up with, James?"

"Not today," he shrugged, causing his glasses to slide down his nose again. It was a shame he hadn't picked a frame that flattered his face better. Or at least one that didn't hide his eyes so much. I'd always been taught to look a person in the eye when speaking, but it was hard to do that with glasses as thick as those James wore.

"Thank you for the company," I told him. "Did you enjoy the class discussion on Thoreau?"

James smiled just a little, looking more nervous than anything. Maybe he was too shy to make friends. "I think we should all have our own version of Walden Pond."

"Maybe for a day or two. After that, I would have to get back to my family," I said.

"Because you're married?"

"No," I chuckled. "Edward would be with me, of course. No, we would have to come back because I'd miss my family too much to continue enjoying myself. What about you? Could you spend months secluded out in the wilderness?"

James smiled wistfully and moved to sit in one of the desks on the front row. "I had a place I used to go after school when I lived in Portland." With that one sentence, some sort of door opened in James. It was the most I'd ever heard him speak, and it was easy to see he was passionate about the subject…If only he could put _that_ into his writing.

"Well," James sighed, glancing at his watch. "You've probably heard enough out of me. And shouldn't he be here by now, Professor Cullen?"

I looked down at my own watch, surprised to see that fifteen minutes had already passed. "Yes, he should. I guess he got held up again." I stood and made sure everything was in my bag. "I'll just start heading that way and meet up with him." It wasn't that far of a walk and Edward would probably get here before I even made it out of my building.

"I'll walk with you," James offered.

"You really don't have to, James. I've walked the route a thousand times."

He shoved his hands into his pockets and rocked back on heels, looking completely nervous. "Well, I was hoping to hear if you ever had your own spot." He reminded me so much of Edward when I'd first met him that I found it hard to refuse.

"Alright," I chuckled, waving my hand toward the doorway. "It's going to be a really short conversation, though. I never had a spot."

"None at all?" he asked as we walked down the quiet hallway.

"I have one, but that wasn't until very recently. And it's a shared spot. Edward and I have a spot in his parent's backyard that's just for us. It's at the top of a hill and looks out over the trees. It's gorgeous on nights when the moon is full."

James opened the door and a blast of chilly wind hit me in the face. I shivered a little as I pulled my coat tighter around me and wrapped my scarf around my neck better.

"I'll be so happy to see spring and summer," I said as we walked down the steps.

"What's your favorite season of all?"

"Summer. I love the feel of the sun on my skin and the smell of the beach. What about yours?"

"Fall, I guess. Something about the year winding down and all."

"Edward likes spring, but I think it's because his mom is a gardener. She always had him, and his sister, help with the new plantings. She even has a garden—" The rest of my sentence died in my throat as my shoe hit an icy spot and my foot started to slide out from underneath me.

A thousand thoughts raced through my mind: Could I stop my fall? What was Edward going to say? Why hadn't I just stayed in class like he'd asked? He'd warned me about the ice. Would the baby get hurt if I broke my butt? Was I going to be lucky enough to just hit my butt? Just how cold and unforgiving was the sidewalk going to be to me today? What was Em going to do when he found out?

I hated falling. I hated that it took so long and you could see every little detail on your way down—like Edward's terrified face. I hadn't noticed him before, but there he was on the sidewalk, maybe twenty feet away. He was saying something and I had a pretty good idea he was shouting my name. But I couldn't really hear over the sound of my brain and all the thoughts flashing back and forth across it.

And then my fall stopped as abruptly as it had started. I blinked a few times, trying to figure out what had happened. If I'd hit the ground, it hadn't hurt nearly as much as I'd expected. Maybe I was numb. Could the ground be cold enough for that?

Worried green eyes were suddenly all I could see. Edward's arms helped me to stand straight and then wrapped around my waist. I could see his lips moving, but I still couldn't hear him. I shook my head and blinked again, hoping I hadn't broken myself.

My hearing returned in a rush, making me feel light-headed as I struggled to reply to Edward. "Bella? Bella, can you hear me?" he asked, sounding frantic. I wondered how many times he'd already asked me that.

"Give me a second. I feel light-headed," I told him.

"You're sitting down," Edward commanded. He led me over to a bench where he sat down and held me in his lap. "Are you hurt? Should I call Carlisle?"

"I don't know. I just feel faint and I couldn't hear for a second," I answered, closing my eyes and resting against his warm chest.

"Maybe it's the adrenaline rush from almost falling," James suggested. James? Oh, right! We'd been walking and talking together.

"Thank you for catching her," Edward said. His normally velvet voice was rough and I knew it was because I'd scared him. It was going to be a _long_ night in the Cullen household. I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if Emmett, Alice, and the rest of our family showed up for my reprimand. And I deserved it. I should've listened and stayed indoors.

"Oh, it's no problem at all. I'm just glad I was there," James replied. "I made sure to grab her under her arms and not around the stomach. I read it's bad to put pressure on a pregnant woman's stomach."

"What are you doing reading about pregnancy?" Edward asked.

"Well…my sister is…sort of making me read her baby book with her," James stuttered.

"I have a bossy sister of my own," Edward chuckled. "If she'd been the first to get pregnant, I'm sure she would've made us all read along with her."

That light-headed feeling wasn't getting any better and since I'd already been stupid once today, I wasn't about to repeat it. "Edward, I think I need a doctor."

"It's okay, Bella," Edward cooed, kissing my temple. "Let's get you in the car and I'll call Dr. Johnson on the way to his office."

"Want me to walk with you guys?" James asked as Edward helped me to my feet.

"No, I've got her. And once again, thank you for helping," Edward said, shaking James's hand.

"I'll see you in class on Wednesday, Professor Cullen," James told me.

I just smiled, too tired to do more than that. I had a feeling the light-headedness changing to tiredness meant something was wrong with my stupid blood pressure.

Nearly two hours later, I was finally in my warm bed at home, under strict orders to relax and not to get out of it until tomorrow morning. The relaxation rule was from my doctor. The bed rest was from Edward.

"What would you like to eat?" Edward asked, checking my pulse once again. I didn't even bother saying anything; my blood pressure had scared us both this time. Dr. Johnson assured us it was from the sudden shock of nearly falling and that I would be perfectly fine, but it was still scary.

"Something warm," I sighed, snuggling further against the pillows. "Some stew maybe?"

"If Carlisle didn't take it for lunch, there should be some beef stew left."

"That sounds perfect."

"And to drink?"

"Ginger ale?"

"Alright. I'll be right back." Edward placed a kiss on my forehead and then left the room.

He'd barely been gone a minute before his phone started to ring; he'd left it on the nightstand. I reached out and picked up the phone, looking at the caller ID. It was Emmett—and like the coward I was, I hit the silence button and put that phone right back where it had been.

Edward had called Doctor Johnson as soon as he'd gotten me into the car. My doctor happened to already be at the hospital because of a delivery, so he'd had Edward drive me there. And since Carlisle was working at the hospital, Edward called him too. He met us in the parking lot and stayed with us through the whole thing. I think he'd been hoping to calm Edward, but it really didn't work.

Once my blood pressure had returned to normal, they'd let Edward take me home. And now I was resting and pretending I hadn't heard the message tone beep from the phone.

"Bella, are you sleeping?" Edward asked from close by.

I opened my eyes and turned my head toward the door. "No, just resting."

He smiled and came over to the bed, stretching out next to me. "My mother is picking up something for all of us since my dad finished off the stew."

"What's she getting us?"

Edward brushed some of my hair away from my face and neck, looking completely distracted. He must have been because he didn't answer my question.

I put my hand on his cheek, getting him to look at me. "Edward, I asked you what she was getting."

"Sorry," he said, giving me a small smile. "She's going to pick up chili and cornbread from a little shop she knows."

"What's wrong?"

"Besides you nearly falling and your blood pressure being through the roof?"

"Yes. Because I was just as scared by those things but I don't look like the world just ended."

"I'm fine, just tired."

"Liar," I snorted, pulling his face up so I could see those green eyes of his. They were dark and serious…brooding. "Talk to me, Edward. Don't shut down."

He pulled his head away from my hand, laying it right above the bump of my stomach, and wrapped his arms around my back. "I don't know what to say."

I ran my hand through his red-bronze hair, hoping to soothe him at least a little. "Just tell me what you're thinking and feeling."

He didn't say anything; he just continued to hold me. I let him lay there for awhile before pressing again. Edward had only had one serious girlfriend before me and she'd hurt him so badly that he'd closed himself off from everyone, including his own family. It had taken a long time to get him to open up to everyone the way he did with me. I wasn't going to let anything make him feel like he had to close up to protect himself again, especially not my own stupid behavior.

"Edward, what are you feeling?" I whispered, tracing his jaw down to his chin and back up to his ear.

He sighed deeply, but finally mumbled out a reply. "I'm feeling a lot of things. I'm mad at myself, for one."

"Why are you mad at your own self?" I asked, completely confused. I couldn't think of a single reason why Edward should be upset with himself. Plenty for me, but none for him.

"I should have been there. I should've been on time."

"I'm sure whatever reason you have for being late is a good one. And honestly, if I'd had a little bit more patience—"

"That's never been your strong-suit, Isabella," he sighed. He moved his hand under my shirt and gently rubbed his hand against my skin. "I made the mistake of believing the 'it'll just take a second' line."

"Victoria again?"

"Yes," he growled. "She doesn't seem to understand the concept of assigned discussion time."

"Sounds like she's got a crush on you, Professor Cullen."

"You think?" he snorted. "Subtlety didn't work with her so I'm going to have to be rude about it. I hate being rude."

"Honey, what you consider to be rudeness is just complete and total honesty to the rest of us. And if you would prefer, I'd be more than happy to stop by your class and mark you as mine," I teased, tugging on his earlobe a little. "But after the ice and snow are gone," I quickly added.

Edward sat up and took my hands into his. "I know you hate to feel like we're all telling you what to do, and I know you're a grown woman capable of taking care of herself, but for right now, can we come to some sort of compromise?"

"Like?"

"Like there's a big difference between puttering around the house on your own and walking across a college campus. You're clumsiness has been back for a couple of weeks now and it's only going to get worse as the baby gets bigger."

"Maybe we should have had Doctor Johnson check my ears. Maybe it's some sort of inner ear thing."

"You _have_ been checked, and Carlisle declared you 'born clumsy', remember?" Edward asked, giving me his crooked smile. I was glad to see it, knowing it meant he was really calming down. "Besides, you were controlling it the past year or so because you'd _slowed_ down. You always do better when you take your time, but lately, you've been trying to run everywhere."

"There's just so much to do and I don't have as much time anymore with the naps and everything."

"So stop trying to do all of those things. Write a list of what needs to be done every day of the week. Anything I can't do myself, I'll get my mom or Alice to help me with."

"Edward, that's—"

He put his finger against my lip, stopping my complaint. "It's what we're all willing and able to do for you and the baby."

"Edward, Bella?" Esme called out. "I'm home."

"Dinner time," Edward said, moving to stand up.

I held tightly to his hand, keeping him sitting. "Edward, I'm really sorry. I didn't think the sidewalks could possibly have ice with it being late afternoon."

"I know. And I'm sure I've been driving you crazy from the start with my need to protect you."

"A little," I agreed.

"Then after dinner, let's talk and find a middle ground, okay?"

"I'd like that a lot."

He leaned forward and kissed me, letting me feel his love for me without it being too passionate. We'd challenged my heart rate enough for one day. He pulled away, gave me my favorite smile, and then lifted my shirt, kissing the bump. "I'll be right back," he said as he stood.

"I'll be right here," I assured him.

His phone started ringing again and he picked it up, answering it as he walked out of the room. "Hello, Emmett. How would you prefer me to answer the phone? No, I didn't hear the phone ring earlier. If I had I would have…" his voice faded as he headed downstairs and I could only imagine the lecture Edward was getting from Emmett because of me. I was really going to have to make sure Edward's Bella-Free Sunday was a great one for him.

On the plus side, I'd gotten out of car shopping for one more day. But I'd also turned it into a family event—Tuesdays were family dinner night and since everyone would be here for that, I was pretty sure they were going to want to come with us, especially Rosalie since she was so into cars.

"Bella, dear?" Esme called, looking down at me.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't hear you come in," I chuckled. "Sit down," I offered, patting the spot next to me.

"How are you feeling?"

"Tired and silly…and really stupid. But really lucky, too. If James hadn't been able to catch me, I'd have ended up on the sidewalk."

"James?"

"One of my students."

"Well, when you see him again, you tell him 'thank you' for Carlisle and me."

"I will. Thanks for getting supper."

"It was on the way," she shrugged. "Edward should be up any minute with dinner for both of you. Are you hungry?"

"Starving," I admitted.

"Well, I'm sure you'll like this meal. It's from a little southern themed café and the owners are originally from Alabama. They always have a mild and spicy version of their foods. Maybe if you like it, you can try the spicy after the baby's born."

Edward came into the room, carrying a tray full of things. "Mom, I love you dearly, but get out."

"I'm going," she chuckled at him. She turned to me and patted my hand. "He's worried I'm going to excite you with talk of my fundraiser today."

"How did it go?" I asked.

"Wonderful! We raised over thirty-thousand dollars for the children's hospital. They've already asked me to plan next year's event as well."

"And you can tell her all about it. Tomorrow," Edward ordered. "Thank you again for providing dinner, we both love you, and we'll chat with you tomorrow."

"Edward, don't be rude to your mother," I fussed.

"He's not, Dear," Esme chuckled, patting my hand again. "He's just a little worked up and this is his way of letting it out." She stood and kissed Edward's cheek. "You're lucky I'm such an understanding mother, Edward."

"I know," he chuckled, smiling for her. "It's one of the many reasons why I love you."

Esme kissed his cheek once more and then left our room, closing the door behind her. Edward moved the last few steps to the bed and set the tray down over my legs.

"You know, I agree today was a bad day, but that doesn't give you the right, or a reason, to be so rude to your mother. She does a lot for us, Edward Anthony," I fussed.

Edward smirked at me as he carefully got onto the bed. "So ready to defend everyone all the time."

"Well if my husband wasn't acting like such an overbearing, overprotective _dic_tator, I wouldn't have felt the need. Esme talking to me about her fundraiser isn't a danger to me."

"And there was the proof that you're Emmett's little sister," he chuckled. He must have finally noticed he wasn't as amusing as he thought he was because that smirk left his face. "Bella, you know I'd never purposefully be rude to my mother. When we spoke downstairs, I jokingly told her that if she was still in here when I came up, I'd throw her out. She said she'd like to see me try. I was challenged. What could I do?"

I snorted and shook my head at him. "And there's the proof that you're friends with Emmett."

"Forgiven?" he asked, making his green eyes look as sad as any puppy ever could.

"Yes," I sighed, trying not to laugh. "So what's all this?" I asked, pointing at the tray in front of me.

Edward scooted closer to me and pulled a couple things from the tray. "This is my dinner. That's your dinner."

"You have more chili than me and no vegetables," I said, looking between our plates. "And you definitely have a bigger piece of cornbread."

"Love, don't take this the wrong way, but I don't have to watch my blood pressure."

"I thought you were giving up things I had to give up."

"You don't have to give this up, you just can't eat as much of it. We never stipulated on portion control for me."

Between the smirk on his face and his know-it-all attitude, I couldn't help but laugh. "You're awful, Edward Cullen."

"And you're beautiful, Bella Cullen," he chuckled, kissing my cheek. "Want to watch a movie while we eat?"

"I'd rather talk."

"What shall we talk about?"

"Ideas for you for Sunday."

Edward shrugged his shoulders.

"Isn't there anything you'd like to do?" I asked.

"Coffee," he replied, smiling wide. "I haven't had a coffee in months."

"I miss coffee," I sighed. I sighed again at Edward's frown. "I didn't say it for you to feel bad. If anything, I should feel bad for you giving it up just for me. So what else do you want to do?"

"Can't I just stay home with you?"

"I won't be home. Alice, Esme, and Rosalie are taking me for a day of pampering. Esme and Rose are going to share their mommy secrets with me away from prying male ears."

"Is that right?" he laughed, his green eyes sparkling with his happiness.

"Absolutely," I agreed, smiling back at him. "You know, maybe you should pamper yourself a little. You could rent a car for the day. Spend your time behind the wheel of some absurdly expensive car."

His entire mood perked up at the sound of my idea. "How much money am I allowed to spend?"

"I don't know…I guess anything you want so long as you don't dip into the house fund."

"I can arrange that," he replied, grinning like a small child on Christmas morning.

"So what are you going to rent?" I asked, trying not to laugh at him.

"I've always wanted to drive an Aston Martin. My dad had one when I twelve. It was a beautiful car. A ride so smooth, and the turns!"

"What happened to it?"

"Alice needed braces and a new wardrobe," he chuckled. "Dad took one for the team and sold it."

"Wow. I mean, I know your dad loves you guys and all."

"The sad part was, three months later, he got the first of many promotions and would've been able to keep his car."

"Oh, that's just wrong," I chuckled, unable to keep a straight face. "You know, if our baby ever needs braces, I promise not to make you sell the Volvo."

Edward snorted, almost spitting his chili all over himself. "God, I hope our baby is as silly as you are."

"And I hope he's as sweet as you are."

Edward and I looked at each other for a second before bursting into laughter. It was good that we could enjoy this time right now because we'd be having our serious discussion a little later on. But Edward's mood right now gave me hope that we could reach a compromise without too much of a battle. He really was trying hard to find balance with his overprotective nature, so it was time for me to try as hard to not be as silly as I usually managed.

But if he thought for one second today's events were going to make me a pushover with the car thing, he was going to be very sadly mistaken. Bella Cullen was no pushover—not even for her Greek god husband.

* * *

Okay! This was a chapter full of events and included the addition of a new character, James. There's a pic on my website of how I imagine this James looks. He is Geeky James in all his glory. The link to my website is on my profile page.

I know I said last weekend that I would get you guys three chapters, but I'll be shocked if I get two. Real life came along and smacked me upside the head, giving me a nasty little case of writer's block. I'm trying to get rid of it as quickly as possible, but I can make no guarantees. When your mind literally stops giving you any and all ideas, it's nearly as wrenching as whatever caused it. So! I'm giving it my best, but we may not have more until next weekend and I don't know how much we'll have. If my block goes away, I'll get things posted during the week and get us back on schedule.


	16. Another Epiphany

**DISCLAIMER:** The characters do not belong to me…they are all the creation of the wonderful Stephenie Meyer.

**Another Epiphany**

**Bella's POV**

"Isabella Marie Swan Cullen," Emmett said, standing in my bedroom doorway. He had a frown on his face and his big arms were crossed in front of his chest.

"Hi, Em," I replied, turning my attention back to my magazine.

"Hi, Em? _Hi, Em_? Is that all you have to say for yourself?" he asked, his voice rising a little.

Edward popped his head out of the bathroom. "Emmett, relax or leave. We're doing what we can to keep Bella's blood pressure as steady as possible and you yelling at her doesn't help with that cause."

"She almost—"

Edward cut him off, walking right up to him. "I'm well aware of what happened. And as husband and wife, _we_ spoke about it last night in a calm and mature manner. If you want to throw your input in, do it calmly or don't do it at all."

I closed my magazine and cleared my throat, getting them both to look at me. "Has it occurred to either of you that I have yet to _agree_ to talk to Emmett?" I quickly lifted my hand, stopping whatever argument was on my brother's lips. "No, Emmett Swan. You listen to me for once. I love you, I appreciate you, and I value your opinion. But what I need right now, is to rest and enjoy the article I was reading before you so rudely interrupted. I know you're upset about yesterday, but there's nothing I can do about that. I've talked it all over with Edward and we've come up with ways to make sure it doesn't happen again. As far as I'm concerned, it's over with."

Emmett looked from me to Edward. "Did she hit her head when she fell?"

"No," Edward replied, trying hard not to laugh. "She just knows what she wants and she doesn't have a problem saying it. Oh, and Jasper and Alice beat you to it. Alice tried to give Bella the third degree, Jasper stopped Alice before she got going, and Jasper reminded Bella she has no obligation to put up with anyone treating her like she's a child."

"Sorry, Squirt," Emmett said, lumbering into the room and sitting down next to me on the bed. "I didn't mean to treat you like a little kid. It's just…you scared me, Bells."

"Like you scared me last month when you fell through the roof of the house?"

"Yeah, like that," he agreed.

"And what did you tell me when I was afraid for you?"

Emmett smiled sheepishly. "I told you to stop worrying so much."

"So take your own advice, you big bear," I chuckled, kicking his leg with my foot.

"Can I do anything for you? Get you anything?"

"Convince my husband I don't need to come car shopping with all of you," I said, knowing Emmett didn't have a prayer of actually making that happen.

"I'd love to help, Squirt, but I happen to agree with Edward on this one. You need a new car."

"Fine," I sighed. "Edward, are you ready to go then? I don't want to hold up dinner."

"Esme knows what we're doing so don't worry about holding up dinner," he called back.

"What are you doing in there?" Emmett asked, helping me off the bed.

"Sorting laundry," Edward replied, walking out with a pile in his arms. "I just have to drop these into the machine on the way out."

"Laundry," Emmett snorted.

"Don't you dare tease him," I warned my big brother. "I know a lot of things you did for Rose when she was pregnant and I won't mind sharing those stories with Edward and Jasper if you don't behave."

Emmett nodded his head, knowing I wasn't bluffing.

Over an hour later, Edward and Rosalie were finally heading back toward where I was sitting in the car dealership. They had their heads together and their hands were moving as they animatedly discussed some car thingy.

"…never give up horsepower for torque…" Rosalie was saying.

"That's not what I…" Edward was arguing.

I lifted my hand in a wave, hoping to catch their attention, but they walked right on by, carrying on their discussion. I was invisible. I sighed and dropped my hand back to my side. I was obviously in for a longer wait than I'd originally imagined as my family toured the showroom.

"Bella, if your bottom lip tugs any further downward, you'll be able to touch your knee with it," Jasper joked, putting an arm around my shoulders.

I smiled and leaned my head on my brother-in-law's shoulder. "Edward says I _need_ a new car for the safety features and warranty—not a used car. And that's pretty much the last sentence he's said to me in the past…" I looked down at my watch to check the time. "One hour and twenty-three minutes."

Jasper chuckled. "You got off easy, Bells. Alice has been chirping in my ear since yesterday about paint colors and interior styling…And this isn't even her car!"

Alice was running around the showroom with Emmett. The two of them were sitting in all of the new cars together, trying to find the perfect one for me. Apparently, my car needed to be blue or black to accentuate my skin tones and it needed to be mid-height so I wouldn't have to stretch to get in or stumble to get out—Alice and Emmett's professional opinions.

"Jasper, what am I even doing here?" I asked, laughing as I watched Alice dance over to yet another car.

"You're getting a new car," he chuckled. "What? You didn't actually expect the car and style quartet to let you have say-so, did you?" he teased.

"So how come you're over here with me instead of getting all giddy with the rest of them?"

"Better company," Jasper joked.

I snorted at him. "Think if I tell the four of them I'm hungry they'll just pick a car so we can go?"

"I think they'll tell me to take you to get a snack, so let's skip the middle men, and women, and go." He helped me up, keeping my arm locked with his as he led me out of the showroom. "There's a great little bakery just a few doors down."

"Fresh air," I sighed, turning my face up toward the sun.

"It's warmer today," Jasper noted as we started walking again.

"I've been meaning to ask you something since you got to the house…When did Edward call you last night?"

"Why would you think Edward called me?" he replied. I didn't miss the way his lips twitched.

"Because Edward was completely calm last night when we talked about my near miss."

Jasper shrugged. "Edward just wants the best for you. He sometimes goes about it the wrong way, but he's always trying to learn from his mistakes. And he knows one of his biggest mistakes with you is his overprotective nature. We talked about what he wanted to come from the conversation and I gave him some pointers on how to get it without going overboard."

"Lucky for you and me that you always seem to know how to get Alice and Edward to calm down."

Jasper laughed and I smiled in return. "They don't even realize how alike they are in some ways," he said.

"How did we ever get so lucky to have such wonderful people in our lives?" I asked, hugging him tightly.

"We all got lucky enough to find each other. The how and the why aren't important. All that matters is that we recognize our good fortune and always appreciate it," Jasper replied.

"Some days, you sound a lot more like a shrink than an architect," I said, smiling up at him.

"I hear that often," he chuckled. "But I love what I do, and my way with people mixed with my architectural skills turns our potential clients into very happy customers."

"And that's exactly why you deserve a promotion."

"We find out on Friday."

"Seriously?" I cried, looking up at him. "Why didn't Alice say anything?"

Jasper chuckled. "She's afraid of jinxing it by talking about it too much."

"The Great Ali is nervous about something?" I asked, trying not to laugh.

Jasper shrugged. "She's been a little out of sorts lately with the stress from all my long hours. Once this promotion comes through, she'll relax and be back to her normal self."

"Should I tell Edward to hold off on exacting his revenge for her 'rude' comment the other day?"

"Yeah, that was a particularly nasty one of her," Jasper chuckled. "If you could get him to hold of for a week or two, that would be great."

"I'm pretty sure I can convince him."

We arrived at the bakery and as soon as Jasper opened the door, my mouth started watering. The smells were all warm and comforting and I wished I could have a little taste of everything in there. Jasper and I toured the place twice before I finally decided on splitting a cinnamon roll and an apple fritter. We both got milk to drink and sat down at a little table, enjoying a perfectly quiet and content time together. Jasper's ability to just sit and not fill up the minutes with talk was one of my favorite things about him.

My mind wandered to the future, wondering what my baby would like best about each of the special people in his life. I knew what _I_ loved about each of them. Emmett could keep me laughing, but he could also give good advice. Jasper could goof-off as easily as he could help with a serious problem. Alice could dress me in the latest fashions while reminding me of what was important in life. Rosalie could diagnose both my car and life trouble in no time at all. Carlisle and Esme were quick to give warms hugs and tender words, but could also be stern if that's what the situation called for. And Edward could bring out the giggly girl in me while making me feel like a treasured, intelligent woman.

Jasper's snapping fingers so close to my nose broke me out of my thoughts. "Where'd you just go?"

I shrugged. "Just thinking about how much I love all of you guys."

"So what's Edward's grand revenge scheme this time?"

"Hiding the keys to Sophia."

"Oh, not the Porsche. He should know better than to mess with the car," Jasper said, looking horrified.

"Edward believes in hitting his sister where it hurts the most. Remember when he burned her dress in the backyard?"

"She still talks about that dress every so often," Jasper chuckled. "Hey, I heard about this Bella-free Sunday you're forcing Edward to take. I think it's a great idea, for both of you."

"Yeah, I tried to get him to come up with some ideas last night. All he's really sure about is that he wants coffee and to rent an Aston Martin."

"Really? He's renting one of those?" Jasper asked, looking excited.

I shrugged. "That's what he said."

"I'll have to talk to my new favorite brother-in-law and see if he wants some company," Jasper said, smiling wide.

"I'm sure he'd like that," I chuckled.

After we finished with our snack and conversation, we walked back to the dealership. Edward, Rosalie, Emmett, and Alice were surrounding one car in particular. They had all four doors open, plus the trunk and hood, and looked like car inspectors instead of car shoppers.

"Jasper, I'm afraid," I said, clutching his arm tighter.

"I'm sensing that you should be very, very afraid, Bella," Jasper replied, looking down at me. "But don't you worry. I'll protect you from the worst of it. In five…four…three…two…"

"BEL-LA!" Alice shrieked, running over to me.

Jasper shielded me in his arms, keeping Alice from getting her little pixie arms around me. "Calm down, Ali," Jasper said softly.

Alice took a deep breath and visibly calmed a little. "Oops," she chuckled. "Forgot myself there. Sorry about that."

"What has you so excited?" Jasper asked, still just as calm as ever. It was amazing to watch the way his calm affected Alice and rubbed off on her.

Alice smiled sweetly at him and reached out for his hand. Jasper took it and locked their fingers together, returning her smile. "We think we found the perfect car for you. The four of us actually all agree on this one."

"Does this mean I get an actual vote on whether or not we take this car home?" I asked as Jasper led me toward the others.

"Silly Bella," Alice laughed, skipping off ahead of us.

"Figures," I grumbled.

"Just keep telling yourself that it's for the baby," Jasper whispered. "And besides, can you really bring yourself to disappoint them? Look at how they're all excited and smiling."

"I've lost before I've even begun," I chuckled. "I like the black color, so at least that's something."

For the next twenty minutes, my family told me all about this car and how great it was. The only parts I understood where black paint, dark gray leather interior, heated seats—a must in cold climates—and leg room. With all the men in our family being six foot or taller, leg room was a definite necessity.

Edward drove us home in my new Volvo, while Rose drove his Volvo home. Emmett, Alice, and Jasper were in Carlisle's Mercedes—they'd borrowed it since Alice didn't feel like riding over in the Jeep and Emmett couldn't comfortably fit in the Porsche.

Carlisle, Esme, and Lily came out to greet us as soon as we pulled up into the driveway. The men decided to stay outside and talk shop while the rest of us got out of the cold.

"What do you think of your car, Bella?" Esme asked as I snuggled up in the recliner with Lily.

"Edward is very excited about it," I chuckled.

"Eee," Lily cried, looking toward the closed front door.

"Uncle Edward will be in soon, Sweetheart," I cooed, kissing her little cheek.

"Beebee," Lily sighed, resting her head on my shoulder.

"I love you, too, Lily Bear," I whispered, running my fingers through her curly hair. I couldn't wait to enjoy this sort of thing with my own baby. And even more than that, I wanted to see Edward cuddling with our baby.

"So have you thought about what you want to do this Sunday?" Rosalie asked.

"Yeah, I have. I know it might be a little drastic, but I really think I'd like it. If nothing else, I won't be spending nearly as long getting ready in the mornings," I replied. "I want to cut my hair so that's it's up to my shoulders. It's just too much to take care of right now."

Alice and Rose both tilted their heads, trying to imagine my hair that short. It had been just a few inches above my waist for nearly my whole life.

"You know, if we put some highlights in and layer it, I bet it would look so cute," Alice chirped.

"Nothing too bright, though. She's got a lot of natural highlights to start with," Rose said.

"You don't think it would be too drastic?" I asked. "I don't want Edward to hate it or anything. I'm already starting to look different enough."

"What if you just do the layers?" Esme suggested. "That way, the color is still the same and more familiar, even though your hair will be much shorter."

"Yeah, I think I like that idea," I said, nodding my head.

"Let's take bets on how long it takes Edward to notice the difference," Rose chuckled.

"Five seconds," Alice chirped.

"Fifteen. He'll want to hug and kiss her first," Esme said.

"One hour," Rose stated with confidence. "He'll be on a high from his no responsibility day, wanting to share it all with Bella. It'll take him a while to realize he hasn't let her get in a single word and when he focuses his full attention on her, he'll notice."

"That sounds more like Em than Edward," I chuckled.

Rose shrugged her shoulders and smiled. "Men are men when it comes to certain things."

"Come on, Bella. How long do you think?" Alice asked. She was vibrating in her spot between Esme and Rosalie on the sofa.

"Well, I agree he'll be focused on hugging and kissing me first. But I think the second his hand touches my back and not my hair, he'll notice. I'll go with twenty seconds," I told them.

The front door opened and our men noisily entered the house, still talking about the car. Lily sat up and looked toward the sounds. Her little arms shot into the hair and her hands were opening and closing so fast that it made me laugh. "Eee!" she cried, her blue eyes following Edward around the room.

Edward immediately smiled and came over to us. He took Lily into his arms and cuddled her against his chest, kissing her cheek sweetly. "Hello, Lily. How's my little niece today?"

Lily proceeded to answer him in her baby language. From her facial expressions and hand gestures, she seemed to have had a very long and bothersome day. We all laughed as we watched her.

"Rose, what did you do to cause such a reaction from the little princess?" Jasper asked, hugging his sister against his side.

"Lily has discovered the joys of pulling off her diaper," Rose said, grinning at her daughter. "She didn't appreciate my ability to keep her clothed."

"What'd you do to our baby, Rosie?" Emmett asked, looking between his daughter and wife.

"What any smart mother would do," Rose shrugged. "I duct-taped her diaper on." There was complete silence for a moment and then we all started laughing.

Edward pulled the side of Lily's pants down, revealing the silvery tape. "You really did do it," he said, looking shocked.

"Of course she did," Esme chuckled. "I did the same to Alice and you when you got to that stage. Although, Edward, I must admit, you were more determined than your sister to run free through the house."

"Oh, I haven't heard this story yet," I laughed. "Do tell, Esme!"

"Mom, I'm begging you," Edward pleaded.

"Sorry, Son. Bella needs to know these things in case your baby takes after you more than her."

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about that too much," Emmett chuckled. "Bella was more than just a crib escape artist. Turn your back on her for more than a second and you'd have a trail of clothing to follow."

"I did not!" I yelled, glaring at my big brother.

"Yes, you did," he promised, smiling wide. "Look at the pictures of yourself between the ages of one and four. Ever noticed that you were always in overalls?"

I felt my face heat up as I thought of all the pictures of me in different types of purple overalls. We'd just gone through my book not too long ago so the images were still fresh in my mind.

"Told you so," Emmett laughed.

"Funny that the two free birds ended up being the shyest ones in our group," Rose chuckled.

"Just more proof that I was right and they are absolutely meant for each other," Alice chirped.

I looked up, ready to get Edward to tell them to leave me alone, but he was no longer in the living room with us. I got up from my chair and went to look for him while our family continued to make fun of us. Now that I wasn't right in the middle of all of the noise, I could hear the tinkling of piano keys.

I stepped into the piano room and came to a halt; Edward was sitting at the piano with Lily perched on his lap. He was guiding her small fingers along the piano keys, helping her to play a melody I couldn't recognize. I immediately pictured him doing the same thing with a little bronze-haired baby boy and couldn't help but tear up at the image.

Lily pressed down on a key, making the note ring through the room. Her lips drew together in an "o" of surprise and she turned her head, smiling up at her uncle.

"Yes," he laughed, tapping her nose with his finger. "You made that sound."

"She loves her uncle," I said, walking further into the room.

He patted the empty space on his bench. "Sit with us."

"Will you play for me?" I asked.

"If you think you can pry Lily away from the keys long enough," he chuckled.

I sat down and pulled Lily into my lap. "Baby girl, do you want to hear Uncle Edward play a pretty song for us?"

Lily nodded her head as she uttered another of her baby speech answers.

"Play away, Uncle Edward," I said, smiling up at him.

Edward kissed me quickly and then focused on his piano. His fingers caressed the keys, pulling out a tune I'd heard him play a few times before. I knew it was Bach, but not which song—I didn't have a memory for things like that.

By the time he reached the end of the song, our entire family had joined us in the room. Jasper and Alice were sitting together in one of the chairs. Emmett was leaning against a wall with Rosalie in his arms, both of them lost in looking at each other. Carlisle and Esme were hugging each other, smiling from their spot near Alice and Jasper.

Lily was the first to comment; she clapped and then blew Edward a kiss.

"When did she learn that one?" I chuckled, looking up at my brother.

"I taught it to her yesterday," Emmett said proudly.

At the sound of his voice, Lily decided she'd had enough of Edward and me. She reached out for Emmett, calling for her "daddy".

"Dinner should be ready now," Esme announced. "Alice, could you help me in the kitchen?"

"Sure, Mom!" Alice chirped, following right after her mother.

"The rest of you should head over to the dining room," Carlisle instructed. "I'm going to see if I can be of use to the ladies in the kitchen."

Edward helped me up from the bench and then spent a minute just holding me.

"I like this," I sighed, enjoying the warmth of his body against mine. And I was secretly enjoying the space between us created by my bump—I thought Edward might laugh if I told him, so I was keeping that one to myself for now.

"Do you like your car as well, Love?"

"It's shiny," I chuckled. "A shiny Volvo."

"I'm surprised you didn't add 'stupid' to that description," he laughed softly, tickling my ear with his warm breath.

"The Volvo wouldn't be stupid, Honey. Only the owner," I teased, trying not to laugh.

"Come on, Silly Bella. Let's get you and our baby fed," he replied, leading me toward the dining room.

Dinner was the usual amazing time full of conversation, laughter, and loving looks as we enjoyed our meal together as a family. Esme had made tacos just because I'd been craving it lately. Of course, she'd put her own special touches on it so that it would be healthy, using turkey meat and making the salsa herself with fresh vegetables. I had three myself, but only because I knew she had Jell-O with real fruit mixed in for dessert.

When we'd all had our fill of dinner and dessert, and Lily was asleep in her crib upstairs, we headed into the living room to end the night in our usual way. We all sat cuddled up with our loved one, talking about our day and what we wanted to do for our next family dinner. We also gave Edward ideas of what to do with his Sunday.

Before the night was over, Esme handed me a gift wrapped in baby blue paper. "It's a little something Edward and I have been working on for the baby. But before we got too carried away, we wanted you to have it so that you can contribute to it as well."

I eagerly tore the paper away, making Edward chuckle beneath me. I pulled back the thin liner and found a baby book. It was light blue with a little brown teddy bear in the center—I loved it.

"It's beautiful," I whispered, trailing my fingers across the soft cover.

"Open it up, Love," Edward said, resting his chin on my shoulder. "We've put a few things in it for you already."

I opened the book and laughed at the very first page. It had a picture of the baby sucking his thumb and just beneath it, in Edward's perfect handwriting, was his idea of a joke. "Our baby: brought to us by Mommy dancing in Daddy's favorite blue dress."

"Edward, you shouldn't have put that," I giggled, kissing his cheek. "He's going to ask how a dress makes a baby and then what are you going to do?"

"Tell him to ask his mother," Edward said, giving me that crooked grin I adored.

I shook my head at him, smiling wide as I looked down at the book again. I flipped through the pages until I landed on a set of pictures. "No wonder you had that look on your face last week!" I cried, turning to look at Edward again. "When did you do this?"

"When you were sleeping," he chuckled. "Do you like it?"

"I love it Edward." I kissed his cheek quickly and then looked over the photos again. "And I love that you wrote the dates so I can always know which week I was on. Look at these last three weeks! Look how much my bump grew," I said excitedly, pointing at the pictures. Edward had secretly been taking pictures of my lower stomach, charting the progress of our growing baby.

"The next few pages are blank so you'll have plenty of room to have a photo for every single week of your pregnancy," Esme said.

"You haven't taken one for this week," I pointed out.

"I normally take them on Wednesday so that it's exactly one week between each picture," Edward explained. "We'll take it tomorrow night."

"Thank you," I said, looking between Edward and Esme. "This is so great."

"It's our pleasure, Bella," Esme assured me.

"Quit hogging the book, Squirt," Emmett commanded. "I want to see too."

The book was passed around until everyone had seen it and commented on it. Alice liked the pages that talked about the first successful shopping trips for maternity clothes. Rose was excited by Edward's idea to put in a page about the car. Emmett was still cracking jokes about the thumb-sucking picture, while Jasper liked how Edward had wrote about the first time I ever yelled at him. Carlisle and Esme said they couldn't pick a favorite yet because the book was nowhere near finished.

As for me, I liked the realization that came to me as I looked through the book, especially at the pictures of my growing belly. Edward was putting so much effort into making this pregnancy a memorable experience because he was that happy about it, not because he felt like he had to. I really wasn't being a burden to him by needing help and having to pass responsibility over to him.

Later that night, I sat against the pillows, watching Edward get ready for bed. "Edward, I had an epiphany tonight."

"Really?" he asked, dazzling me for a second with his smile.

"Yes. I'm not burdening you or making your life harder with all the stuff that comes from being pregnant. And you're so willing to help and take over for me because you want to, because you really want this baby as much as I do."

Edward climbed into bed and pulled me close, resting one of his hands against my bump. "Does this epiphany of yours mean you're finally ready to stop being stubborn?"

"Yeah," I chuckled, looking into those emerald eyes of his. "I relinquish all chores to you to accomplish or delegate as you see fit. And I will slow down, _and_ I will pay more attention to myself. I'll do it all without feeling guilty."

"Finally," he teased, grinning at me.

"I love you."

"I love you more," he replied, kissing me softly.

"Will you prove it?" I asked, hoping the smile on my face looked sexy to him.

"Forever," he promised.

From the way his lips moved with mine, I believed him completely. I was married to the love of my life, he loved me so much more than I deserved, and we had a baby on the way. Life was wonderful again, and together, we'd do everything we could to make sure it stayed that way.

* * *

HUGE thanks to George for helping with this one. It _finally_ came out right. I hope to have more next weekend, but for now, this is all the evil writer's block would allow for. Bella's POV is always harder anyway. Next up, we'll get Edward's impression of geeky James. I'm hoping life will calm down and my fingers will start flying across the keyboard with good story lines shortly.


	17. Swatting Flies

**DISCLAIMER:** The characters do not belong to me…they are all the creation of the wonderful Stephenie Meyer.

**Swatting Flies**

**Edward's POV**

"Stop teasing, Bella," I pleaded. We were walking to her building together for her last class before lunch. "Won't you please tell me if you really like the car?"

"You become such a little boy when a car is involved," Bella teased, playfully patting my cheek. She had yet to give me an honest answer about her new car.

"And you always have to be such a tease instead of just telling me."

"How else will I have my fun, Tutor-boy?" she laughed.

"You could kiss me instead," I suggested, smiling down at her.

She laughed once again, her beautiful brown eyes sparkling with her happiness. "If I kiss you now, what incentive will you have to show up on time for lunch today?"

We entered her classroom and I took her into my arms, holding her close. "_You_ are all the incentive I ever need, Bella. I love you so much."

"I love you, too."

"Remember our deal? You stay put and I call you if I'm going to be late at all."

"I know. I'll be here," she assured me.

I smiled and leaned down, wanting to kiss my beautiful wife one last time before leaving for my own classroom. Just as my lips touched hers, the door opened, startling Bella. Once she calmed down from her fright, she started to laugh, hiding her face against my chest. I looked up for the source of our interruption and found James standing awkwardly in the doorway.

"Um…Sorry…Um…Guess I'm early," he stuttered, looking back out toward the hallway.

"Oh, it's okay, James," Bella assured him. "Edward and I were just saying our goodbyes for now."

"How are you, Professor Cullen?" James asked, finally coming into the room.

"I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be?" Bella replied.

"Well, you…the fall on Monday," James said.

"Oh, that," Bella chuckled, waving it off. She glanced up at me and I smiled for her; we both knew she hadn't completely gotten over her scare, but Bella was never one to let people worry about her. "I'm perfectly fine. Edward made sure of it."

"My parents asked me to convey their thanks if I saw you again," I told him. "So, thank you."

"Not a problem at all," James said. "Professor Cullen is my favorite teacher."

"Hear that, Edward? I'm a favorite teacher now," Bella giggled.

I leaned down and whispered to her, just wanting to see her blush before I left for class. "You've been my favorite teacher from the start. In fact, there are a few things I'm sure I need a refresher course on."

Bella reacted just as I expected, immediately blushing and hiding her face in my jacket.

I chuckled at her as I kissed her red cheeks. "I have to get to class, Love."

"And you couldn't have thought of that fact _before_ you embarrassed me?" she asked. Her eyes gave away that she was only pretending to be upset with me.

"You know how I love your blush," I said, cupping her face in my hand.

Bella chuckled at me, leaning her face into my hand. "Kiss me and get out of here, Tutor-boy."

I followed my beautiful wife's instructions, giving her a slow and tender kiss to tide us both over for the next hour. "I love you."

"Love you more," she replied.

"To be continued at lunch," I chuckled. With one last hug, I let her go and turned to leave. James was still standing near the door as I walked up. "James, it was nice to see you again," I said.

He jumped a little and I did my best not to laugh. "Um…you, too, Professor Cullen."

As soon as I was out of Bella's class, with the door securely closed, I let out the laughter I'd been holding in. Even when Bella had, had me completely confused and turned upside down, I hadn't been _that_ nervous and shy. Hopefully, the guy would make some friends in class and get out of his shell—Bella had mentioned she didn't think he had any friends.

And speaking of friends, Emmett and Jasper had invited themselves along on my Bella-Free Sunday. I'd found a place that would rent me an Aston Martin. As soon as I'd mentioned it to Jasper and Emmett last night, they'd started talking about how much fun "we" would have. I smiled to myself, knowing that having them around would at least ensure my Sunday wouldn't be boring.

I opened the door to my class and groaned a little; Victoria was already in her seat. I headed straight for my desk, ignoring her attempt to get my attention. I knew I was going to have to set her straight, but I wasn't looking forward to it. I still didn't understand why a wedding band wasn't enough to deter women like her, but apparently, this sort of thing was common. Jasper had gone through a similar experience when he'd started at his architectural firm—some secretary had gotten a crush on him and wouldn't take "no" for an answer. Emmett didn't have to worry about that in his job since he was surrounded by college boys and other coaches all day long. Jasper said I just needed to be firm and make it clear that Victoria's feelings were not mutual. Honestly, I think I would have preferred having Alice come to class to set this girl straight.

"Edward, I—"

I turned toward her, working to hide my aggravation. "Ms. Keegan, I have never given you permission to be so informal with me. I am your professor and nothing more. Please address me in the correct manner."

"Um…Sorry, Professor Cullen. I just wanted to know if we could continue our conversation from Monday."

"Ms. Keegan, if you honestly have questions pertaining to my class, I suggest you schedule an appointment during my consultation hours. I will not be available for discussion with anyone outside of those hours. I have responsibilities outside of this class that are of greater importance to me."

"Well, that's sort of rude to your students," she scoffed, putting her hands on her hips.

"Ms. Keegan, I have a wife and a child on the way. They come first."

"Come on, Professor. You really expect me to believe that? You're so young."

"Ms. Keegan, please take your seat."

"But I—"

"Take your seat or leave my class," I said sternly.

She huffed, but turned and walked back to her seat all the same. Hopefully, that would be the last of having to deal with her. But I doubted it would be that easy—she seemed too hard headed for it to be that simple.

Class was over before I knew it and I was happy for that, excited to see Bella again. I had a few ideas I wanted to share with her about this Sunday. I packed my few papers into my briefcase and headed for the door…where Victoria was standing.

I sighed and reminded myself I had to be professional, no matter how aggravated I was feeling. "Yes, Ms. Keegan?"

"I know you don't want to talk during class time, but your consultation hours interfere with my work hours, so I was hoping we could talk over dinner one night instead."

"Ms. Keegan, what part of 'I'm happily married' do you not understand?"

"How could you possibly be? I've done my homework, Professor Cullen. I've seen your mousy little wife. There's no way a girl like her could possibly be woman enough for a passionate man like you. And let's be honest…the baby thing is just her attempt to keep you."

"Ms. Keegan, I suggest you visit the campus nurse and make an appointment with a counselor. You are obviously not mentally well if you think it's alright to walk up to a professor and speak to him that way. If you continue to harass me, I'll be forced to go to the university president and let him know of your behavior."

"And when I tell him _you_ came on to _me_ and shed a few tears for him?" she asked, giving a fake innocent look. "What will happen to you and your little career when I tell him you threatened to flunk me if I didn't keep quiet."

"First of all, good luck convincing him of that. Mr. Wilson is an old family friend and knows my wife and I quite well. Secondly, one look at your grades will convince him there's no favoritism on my part. That or I'm the worst flirt ever with all the 'C's' and 'D's' you have in my class. My suggestion to you, Ms. Keegan, is to either drop my class, or stop your little fantasies and be in this room to learn something, not to stare at me."

I walked right past her, not wanting to tempt her to open her mouth to say anything more to me. I pulled my phone from my jacket pocket and hit the speed dial for my wife.

"Where is my gorgeous husband?" Bella asked, giggling a little.

"On his way, Love. He had a fly to swat."

"Did you do a good job?"

"I sure hope so," I chuckled.

"That's my Tutor-boy!" she laughed.

"I'll be there shortly."

"You better be. I'm timing you."

I laughed as I hung up the phone, moving a little faster across the campus. When I got to Bella's classroom, I found her sitting behind her desk…with James sitting on the corner of it. As soon as he saw me, he jumped away from the desk, looking as though he felt guilty for some reason. I gave a questioning look to Bella, but she only shrugged her shoulders.

"Thank you for keeping me company, James," Bella said, as I helped her up from her chair. "You really didn't have to do that."

"I don't mind. I don't have class right now," James replied.

"This should be the absolute last time I'm late, Bella," I promised her. "I think I got the message across this time."

"How awful did you have to be?" Bella asked, smiling up at me.

"I had to threaten her with Dean Wilson," I admitted.

"The president of the university?" Bella gasped. "She was _that_ hard-headed?"

"Unfortunately," I confirmed.

"Oh, you poor thing," Bella sighed, wrapping her arms around me tightly. "I'm sure you hated talking to her that way."

"It's not worth talking about any further. Let's just go enjoy our lunch together," I told her.

"I don't care where we go, but they better have steak and baked potatoes on the menu," she said.

"You know you can't have that," I said, brushing her hair away from her face.

"So you get it and then give me a few bites of it. Or at least let me get a hamburger. I'm craving red meat so badly," she whined, poking out her bottom lip.

"Bella—"

"What happened to giving me whatever I wanted?" she fussed.

I chuckled and kissed her forehead. "Only when what you want is good for you."

"Let me put it another way, Edward Anthony…It's in _your_ best interest to get me some sort of red meat for my lunch today."

"Red meat's really not that bad so long as you don't eat it everyday," James piped up.

I turned my head and did my best to remain polite. "Normally, that's true, James. But with Bella, there are extenuating circumstances. Why don't you head off to lunch yourself? We'll be leaving shortly."

"Oh, uh, sure thing. See you on Friday, Professor Cullen," he said, moving toward the door.

"Edward, that was rude," Bella whispered. "Invite him to lunch with us."

I stared down at her, wondering if she hadn't managed to hit her head in the last hour. "I was not rude and he's not coming to lunch with us."

"He broke my fall," she sang softly, smiling at me.

"Bella, I—"

"Please, Edward? For me?"

"Fine," I sighed, defeated once again by those brown eyes of hers. "Let's go and see if he's in the hallway."

"Thank you, Edward," Bella said sweetly, hugging herself against me.

I just shook my head, still feeling like this was a really bad idea. Then again, it might just be the fact that I was highly annoyed he had interrupted a conversation that had nothing to do with him. At least I could use this turn of events to my advantage. "But you know, if we invite him along, you don't get your steak or burger. You get chicken or pork instead."

"That's not fair," she cried, glaring at me a little.

"Neither is making me share you," I chuckled.

She smiled, wiping away that look of irritation she'd had on her face a second before. "I love you, even when you're being all bossy."

"I feel the same way about you and your stubborn streak," I chuckled. As we walked outside the building doors, we saw James at the bottom of the steps. "James, can we speak to you for a second?"

He looked a little worried, like something was going to jump out and bite him, but he nodded all the same.

"Bella wanted to know if you would be interested in having lunch with us, as a thank you for Monday," I told him. I wanted him to understand this was a one time thing without being "rude" in Bella's eyes.

"I really don't know," he said, glancing between Bella and me.

"It was just a thought. If you have plans of your own, that's perfectly fine," I assured him. In fact, I was hoping he had plans.

"No plans, but I don't want to interrupt," James replied, pushing his glasses back up his nose.

"You would be a welcome addition, not an interruption," Bella said. "But only if you want, James."

"Sure, Professor Cullen. Anything for you," he replied, smiling at my wife. This guy was really starting to remind me of Mike the Fly.

My obliviously sweet wife then proceeded to invite James to ride in my—her—new car with us. The two of them chatted about some class assignment as I drove us to one of the restaurants Bella was currently in love with.

I parked the car and got out to help Bella, but by the time I reached her side of the car, James was already doing that for me—definitely a _fly_.

"This place is great, James," Bella told him as she let go of his hand and grabbed my arm instead. "They have the best Chicken Marsala ever. I can have that one for lunch, right, Edward?" she asked, smiling up at me.

"I was already planning to order it for you, Love," I said, stealing a quick kiss from her.

We'd come here enough that we had a "usual" table and all of the waitresses knew us by name. The ladies crowded around Bella, talking about her bump and asking about the baby. Bella was in heaven, getting to talk about it with them.

Once she was done chatting, we headed for our table. I pulled out Bella's chair for her and then carefully pushed her forward again. But just as I moved to sit next to her, James took the seat. I smiled the best I could and took the seat _across_ from my wife, figuring James just didn't understand seating arrangements since he was a loner. Plus, this was a one time deal—I could handle sitting this far away just once.

"So, James, do you work or are you just focusing on your studies?" I asked, trying to start a conversation with him for Bella's sake.

"Just my studies for right now," he replied.

"You mentioned you had a sister. Do you stay with her?" I questioned.

"Sister?" He seemed confused by the term, and that definitely worried me. "Oh!" James said loudly, pushing his glasses up. "My _sister_. Yeah, she has a full house and all, so I stay on campus. I just see her on weekends."

Something about the way he answered didn't seem right. I made a mental note to talk to Alice and figure out the best way to check up on James. And then I realized what I was thinking of doing and felt silly for it. This guy was just a student in Bella's class, and for whatever reason, he was bringing out the protective side of me. I just needed to relax and continue to remind myself that this lunch was a one time deal.

"What about your parents?" Bella asked James.

"They live in Minnesota, so I don't see them very often," James explained.

Bella reached across the table and took hold of my hand. "You should make an effort to go home as much as possible, James," she said. "You never know when your parents won't be around anymore."

"I bet you have great parents," James said, smiling at Bella.

I waited to see how she would react—it wasn't something that could be predicted with her. She'd been talking about them more often, and without getting upset, but she was also pregnant.

Bella moved to stand and James and I both got up at the same time. Once again, I held my tongue.

"I've got it," Bella assured James, still holding onto my hand.

She walked around the table and I sat down, letting her sit on my lap. Today was definitely going to be one where she needed to feel comforted while talking about her parents. Honestly, I hoped she would just sit with me and decide not to talk about them—it wasn't anything she had to share with James anyway. But knowing Bella, if she thought for a second that sharing her story would keep James in contact with his parents, she would talk to him.

"You okay?" I whispered, tucking her hair behind her ear.

"Yes. Would you tell him, though?"

"Bella, you don't have to tell him at all."

"I know, but he's lonely enough already, Edward. Maybe being more involved with his parents will help him in some way."

"Okay, Love."

She smiled and then tucked her head under my chin. "Thank you."

"I would do anything for you."

"Except give me steak and potatoes," she chuckled.

"Are you okay, Professor Cullen?" James asked, looking only at my wife.

"She's fine," I assured him. "She just gets a little sad when someone mentions her parents. She lost them in a car accident when she was a teenager. It's the reason she told you to make more of an effort with your own parents. She knows what it's like to want your parents around for the special moments in life, and to not be able to have them. Luckily for her, though, my parents do what they can to fill the gap."

"And Em," Bella added.

"Yes," I agreed, laughing a little. "Bella's older brother, Emmett, took the place of their parents and took care of Bella until she was grown enough to handle herself."

"That hasn't happened yet in his eyes," she chuckled.

"And probably never will," I said. "But it's going to be so much worse for Lily."

"Yep! Especially since Lily has her mother's independent streak," Bella replied. "Oh, the food's here!" she chirped, sitting up straight.

"Bella, do you want your food here, or will you be staying with Edward?" Sylvia asked, putting a plate down in front of James. Sylvia loved waiting on us and she was used to finding Bella perched in my lap by the time the food was ready.

"You can stay," I whispered to Bella.

She turned her head and kissed my lips quickly. "You can't eat pasta with me in the way. But thank you."

"Alright," I said, holding onto her hips and setting her on her feet. I held onto her hand until she was sitting in her chair again.

"Chicken Marsala for the pregnant momma," Sylvia announced, putting the dish in front of Bella. "And Eggplant Parmesan for the happy daddy," she added, handing me the plate.

"Thank you, Sylvia. It all looks delicious," I told her.

"Bella, if you ever get tired of having a polite, hunk of a man as your husband, you send him my way," Sylvia said, grinning at me.

"Like I tell you every time, Sylvia, I think you'd have better luck building a perfect man than waiting around for me to get tired of mine," Bella replied.

"Alright, you lucky woman," Sylvia chuckled. "Enjoy your lunch. Just yell if you need anything."

"We will. Thank you," Bella said.

"Would you like to split a breadstick with me?" I asked, offering half to Bella.

"I better not," she sighed, looking longingly at the bread.

"This time next week, you'll be off the heavier restriction and we'll come back," I assured her.

"When I'm off of it, I'm getting my steak," Bella promised, pointing her fork at me.

"So why do you have restrictions? What do you mean by heavier ones?" James asked, pushing his glasses up his nose once again.

"James, I'm sure my wife appreciates your curiosity, but that's really not something we feel comfortable in discussing with a total stranger," I told him. He was in dire need of a good swatting, but I didn't think Bella saw him as a fly, so I would have to wait.

"Not that you're a stranger," Bella amended. "You are in my class, after all. But Edward's right and it is sort of private. I'm fine and healthy, and we're just doing all we can to keep things that way."

"Oh, okay," James said. "It's just, you know, I'm interested in this stuff, because of my sister."

"Well, I'm sure your sister is glad to have you to discuss things with," I told him. "How's the chicken today, Bella?" I asked, trying to turn the conversation toward non-private matters.

"Excellent," she said, smiling wide. "I'll trade you a bite for some of your eggplant."

"I think that's a pretty fair trade," I chuckled, cutting a piece for her.

"You're welcome to try some of this one, too," James offered.

I childishly smirked at him, knowing Bella wouldn't touch his food in a million years. "You ordered the Pasta Fagioli. That's a definite 'no' for my wife. She and I both hate bacon."

Bella nodded her head, enjoying her lunch too much to bother with talking. Thankfully, James followed suit and the rest of the meal passed in relative silence.

When we arrived back at the school, James thanked Bella for lunch, and she thanked him for breaking her fall. He said a mumbled good-bye to me and then headed off in the opposite direction of where Bella and I would be going.

"James has been thanked, you had a lunch you thoroughly enjoyed, and now we'll finish out our last classes so we can go home," I said.

"You sound very excited that James is gone."

I shrugged my shoulders. "I don't like to share you."

Bella laughed, looking up at me. "You're not going to have much of a choice in about six months."

"My son is a different story. For him, I'll share."

"I love when you say that," Bella sighed, her smile growing even wider.

"What?"

"The 'my son' thing. I _know_ he's going to be a boy, Edward."

"So you keep saying," I chuckled. "Just don't get too disappointed if _he_ happens to end up being a _she_."

"Not going to happen," Bella assured me, rubbing her hand over her stomach. "This baby is a boy."

"As much as I would love to hear more of your theories, Love, I have to get to class and you need to go inside yours."

"Trusting me to walk the few feet from the building door to my classroom? I'm shocked, Edward," Bella teased.

"I'm trying," I said, glad that she couldn't read my mind. Otherwise, she'd have heard an ear full all during lunch about her little student.

"Thank you. Now get to class, Tutor-boy. I want to get this hour over with and get home to a nice hot bath. And then we both have papers to grade. Plus, I want to take the new picture for the baby book."

"We'll get it all done, Bella. I'll see you in an hour."

"Okay. I love you."

"I love you, too. Be safe."

"I will," she promised, kissing me quickly. "Go to class so you can be that much closer to coming back."

"Go inside first," I said, smiling at her.

"How did I know you were going to pull that?" she chuckled, shaking her head a little. She waved and then went inside of her building. I watched through the glass pane of the door, making sure she made it into her classroom before leaving for my own class.

At least I could say one good thing came from having lunch with James: I'd never have to repeat that particular experience again. I didn't have anything against the guy—other than the attention he was paying my wife—but I couldn't say I trusted him either. Something about him just didn't seem right. Whatever it was didn't matter because we were officially done with James outside of Bella's classroom. He was free to go off and be a fly to someone else. Or maybe he'd run into Victoria and the two of them would get together, solving one real problem and one potential without any further involvement from Bella or me.

* * *

This chapter was a lot of fun to write. I'm not sure how much of that was just being able to write, and how much was the chapter itself. I love that Edward not only swatted his fly, but felt a tiny bit bad about it too. As for Bella's fly, he knows she doesn't see it and he has to tread carefully, but he also wants to rip James into two. LOL! So Edward, I'm sorry I had to annoy you so much in this chapter, but I'm glad I was able to! LOL! Thanks to George for her help!

And for anyone interested in the method behind the madness, Victoria's last name...I choose an Irish name to go with her red hair. I also choose one that means "fire" in Irish. So she became Ms. Keegan. I love playing with characters!


	18. Bella Free Day Part1

**DISCLAIMER:** The characters do not belong to me…they are all the creation of the wonderful Stephenie Meyer.

**Bella-Free Day – Part 1**

**Edward's POV**

"No, Alice," Bella hissed.

I struggled to wake up, wanting to know what dream had Bella so angry with my big sister.

"Not yet," Bella said sternly. "Go away and I'll be down in a half hour."

I managed to open my eyes just as I saw the bedroom door swinging closed. It hadn't been a dream; Alice was in the house and that could only mean it was Sunday. I'd been looking forward to this day almost as much as I'd been dreading it. Bella hadn't spent an entire day away from me since she'd told me she was pregnant.

Bella huffed out a breath and then turned over. A shocked look filled her face when she saw that I was awake. "Damn it, Alice," she sighed. "Sorry, Edward. I was trying to make her leave so that I could wake you in a nice way. She wanted me to leave you to wake to an empty bed."

I wrapped my arms around Bella and drew her closer, kissing her forehead. "Thank you. It would have definitely started the morning off wrong if you hadn't been here."

"That's what I told the pixie," Bella said, snuggling closer to me. "She seems moody, though. Normally, she would have taken the first 'no' and pouted a little. But this time, I had to tell her 'no' five or six times and she looked like she was going to cry."

"I think she's just stressed out holding in that huge secret. Jasper made her swear to let him announce the outcome of the promotion at dinner tonight. Honestly, I'm shocked she's keeping it together so well after a full forty-eight hours of keeping it to herself."

"I hope that's it. I'd hate to think anything was really upsetting Alice."

"I'm sure a day with her best friends and her mother will lift her spirits greatly."

"Yep! She has the whole day planned out."

"So when you leave, I won't see you again until dinner," I mentioned. "I'm not even allowed to call you."

"True," Bella agreed. "But I'm allowed to call you. What if I call you half-way through the day?"

"I would love that, Bella," I said honestly. "I know we have to get used to doing things without the other again, especially with the baby coming, but I'm not ready to give you up."

"You're not really giving me up, though. It's only going to be a day here or there. Unless I decide to stay at home with the baby. But you'll have me every Saturday and Sunday regardless, and we'll have our little baby with us to make it that much more special."

"Do you think you'll stay home?"

"I really don't know. I like the idea and hate it all at the same time."

"Just know that if you want to, you can."

"I know. I also know what a mess it'll be to explain it to Em."

"Just preface it by saying that it's a short-term thing. Knowing you, you'll want to go back to work as soon as our child is ready for Pre-K."

"That's sort of what I was thinking of doing. I'd have school hours and I could arrange all of my classes to be in the morning so I could get home in the early afternoon. By the time you got off, I'd have him settled and dinner on the table."

"You really have been thinking about this a lot. Why haven't you mentioned it before now?"

"I don't know. It just never seemed like the right time. There was always some mini-drama or something else going on. But I was thinking about it again Friday and when I mentioned it to James—"

"James? Why are you talking about it to _James_?"

"Because he was there," she shrugged. "You know how I am when a sudden thought pops into my head." She put her hands on my cheeks, smiling at me. "You aren't upset I mentioned it to him, are you?"

"Not really. I guess I just would have preferred you talking to me about it instead."

"I'm talking to you about it now, silly. It wasn't like I _planned_ to discuss it with him. The thought jumped into my head, you'd just left my class and he'd just walked in. I guess I could have run off after you, but I doubt you like that idea any better."

"No, definitely not."

"So maybe now you can remind me to talk to you about it sometime this week. I keep making all these mental notes, but I still don't seem to have any sort of short-term memory."

"Doctor Johnson said it'll come back once the baby is born."

"I hope so. It's driving me nuts," Bella cried. "I write a list of what I need to do and then forget where I put the list. It's down right infuriating."

"So next time you make a list, bring it to me and I'll hold onto it for you," I suggested.

"Sounds like a great plan, Tutor-boy," she chuckled. She leaned her head up just a little and pressed her lips to mine, giving me a tender kiss. "I have to go," she sighed.

"Not yet," I said, holding her close.

"Edward, you know how Alice gets. Besides, she made appointments for a few things and I won't be the reason we miss them. Now, I love you, I will miss you, and I will see you tonight."

"Are Jasper and Emmett here?"

"No. Alice decided that part of the day should consist of you three sleeping in. They've been given strict instructions to be here by nine-thirty, though. You can go back to sleep for an hour and still have plenty of time to shower and get ready before they arrive."

I looked past Bella at the alarm clock and had to bite down a few choice words. "Bella, it's seven-forty-five in the morning. Doesn't my sister realize you need sleep more than any of us?"

"_I_ picked the time, not her. I wanted you to have a real day of freedom. Eight in the morning to eight at night. Please don't fight me on this and just enjoy it," she pleaded, using those brown eyes against me.

"Fine," I sighed, removing my arms from her. "Go on before I change my mind."

"I love you," she whispered, kissing me one last time.

"I love you, too."

"Go back to sleep. I've already set the alarm for you."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome." She smiled and then left our bed and our room. I assumed that meant Bella would be getting dressed in Alice's old bedroom, wearing whatever my sister had picked out for this day.

I rolled onto my back and stared up at the ceiling. I'd only come up with a few things to do today and they weren't going to take up a full twelve hours. Maybe Jasper and Emmett would have some ideas. Regardless, Bella had put a lot of thought into this, talking to Alice and Rosalie about it almost every night this week—the least I could do was follow her instructions. So I closed my eyes and attempted to fall asleep without my wife at my side.

The alarm went off and I quickly discovered that getting up without Bella was a very strange thing. She liked to say she wasn't a morning person, but she was always the one to talk first in the morning. She liked to go over our schedule for the day and it always took her from the moment she got up until we pulled into the school parking lot for her to finish—my wife enjoyed her tangents. Then again, so did I.

"Edward, are you up?" my father called, knocking on my door.

I jogged over and opened the door for him. "Morning."

"Morning, Son," he chuckled. "You look a little lost."

"Maybe a little," I agreed, grinning at him.

"I know the feeling," he said, nodding his head. "Your breakfast is in the oven."

"Breakfast?"

"Bella had your mother make her strawberry pancakes for your breakfast," he explained.

"I can't get over how much she wanted me to have a day like this. And to go so far as to ask mom to make her Christmas Eve pancakes…" I shook my head, not knowing how I wanted to finish that sentence.

"Your mother says Bella is trying to show you how much she appreciates everything you've done and everything you will do during her pregnancy."

"She really doesn't need to. She's already told me about a hundred times."

"Bella has always been very appreciative of every little kindness done for her."

"Like with James," I muttered.

My dad barked out a laugh. "Son, are you jealous of Bella's rescuer?"

"Not really," I shrugged.

"Right," he said, grinning and crossing his arms.

"A little. But you don't need to say anything. I know it's silly and there's no reason for it. It just…I thought having him join us for lunch on Wednesday would be the end, but then he seemed to be everywhere we were on Thursday, when he doesn't have Bella's class, and of course, we saw him again on Friday. And then Bella told me this morning that she had been discussing plans about _our_ future with _him_."

"Did you ever stop to think how refreshing it must be for Bella to have a friend outside of our family? Someone who isn't fussing over her and the baby every second of the day?"

"He just seems a little too attentive," I replied.

"Edward, unless this young man invites himself along to one of Bella's doctor appointments, I don't see where you have anything to worry about. Your wife is a friendly person, and a fair judge of character. You can bet that if James acts inappropriate with her in any way, she will let him, and you, know."

"You're right, Dad. I'm just over-thinking, like usual."

"Sorry," he said, patting my back. "You get that from me."

I laughed as we left my room and headed down the stairs. "Couldn't you have given me tamable hair instead?"

"I tried, Son, but once again, you're just too stubborn to follow in my footsteps."

"Nice," I chuckled, grinning at my dad. "You were overdue for a good dig about medical school."

"It's all in fun, Edward. I know you'd be miserable if you'd listened to me and gone on to medical school. You picked the path that was right for you and I'm proud of you for that. I always wanted for you and your sister to be confident and follow your dreams. I just forgot that my dreams weren't necessarily the same as yours."

"Thanks, Dad. It means a lot to me that you feel that way."

"Well, here is where I leave you," he said, stopping at the foot of the stairs. "Enjoy your breakfast. I'm off to see how horrible my golf score will be compared to Jack's."

"Say 'hello' to Dean Wilson for me."

"Shall I also tell him about the student you had to threaten?" my dad chuckled.

"No," I laughed. "She seems to have finally gotten the message. There was a drop note in my box on Friday with her name on it."

"Alright, then. I'll see you at dinner."

"Good luck," I called as I headed into the kitchen. I opened the oven and found my plate of pancakes. I grabbed the syrup, fixed myself a drink, and settled down at the kitchen table.

I'd just poured the syrup over my pancakes when Emmett and Jasper strolled into the kitchen. "I smell pancakes," Emmett said, sniffing at the air.

"They're mine," I said, taking a bite.

"Strawberry, right?" Jasper asked, sitting in the chair next to me.

"They're mine," I repeated.

Emmett took the opposite seat and handed Jasper a fork while twirling his own in his other hand. "Pancakes, Edward."

"Mine, Emmett," I said, pulling my plate closer to me.

"Emmett, this calls for drastic measures," Jasper announced.

"On three," Emmett replied, nodding his head. "One…two…three."

I looked from one to the other, wondering how grown men could actually manage to pout that way. I sighed and pushed the plate between the three of us. "If Bella asks, you both let me have my pancakes in peace," I told them.

"Silly, Bella," Emmett chuckled, cutting himself a piece of pancake. "She should have known to have enough pancakes made for all of us."

"She was under the assumption I would get to enjoy my breakfast without interruption," I replied.

"Jazz, I think he just called us interruptions," Emmett said, spearing another slice of pancake.

"He's just grumpy without his Bella," Jasper chuckled. "But we'll soon have him in a better mood. Just picture yourself sliding behind the wheel of an Aston Martin and I'm sure you'll be all smiles, Edward."

"Is that a two-seater? You guys know I hate those little cars. I feel like a bear trapped in a closet," Emmett complained.

"You'll be fine," Jasper told him. "And stop taking such big pieces. Leave some for Edward and me," he fussed, slapping Emmett's fork away with his own.

The two of them proceeded to have a fork fight while I slid my plate away and finished off my pancakes. By the time they declared a winner, I was rinsing my plate off in the sink.

"Edward, what happened to the pancakes?" Emmett whined.

"I enjoyed _my_ pancakes," I chuckled. "Are you two ready to leave? Or do you need to find another food dish to battle over?"

"Let's go," Jasper said, rubbing his hands together. "I want to get the car rented right away."

"You sound as if you're going to be driving."

"It's an Aston Martin, Edward. It doesn't matter what you're doing so long as you're in the car," he replied.

"Once we're done with the sardine can on wheels, can we rent bikes?" Emmett asked. "I found this great place that'll rent us the new Kawasaki Concours 1400 bikes. Beautiful pieces of machinery," he sighed. "Even Rose was impressed with their specs this year."

"It's a possibility," I shrugged. "Let's just see how the day goes."

A half hour later, we were at the rental place, trying our best not to drool over the piece of engineering in front of us. "Boys, I can't promise I'm going to be able to return this at the end of the day," I said, running my hand along the hood.

Emmett chuckled and planted his big hand on my shoulder. "You'll return it, but only because you know my little sister will kill you if you try to take it home."

"I don't know," Jasper said, staring at the car. "Maybe I'll take it home and rent it out to you guys on the weekends."

"I _know_ Alice will kill you," I laughed. "She had a low-key wedding to help save money for the house you're going to design her."

"Designed," Jasper said with a grin. "She just doesn't know it yet. She'll get the blueprints for her birthday."

"Speaking of birthdays," Emmett said, puffing out his chest. "Mine is only a month away. What are you thinking of getting me?"

"Spending your days with us is gift enough," Jasper chuckled, opening the passenger door.

I opened the driver's door and slid in behind the wheel, enjoying the feel of the leather seat. "I'm in love," I sighed, grinning at Jasper.

"How in the hell am I going to fit into this coke bottle?" Emmett asked, squatting down to see inside the car.

"I'm going to stretch out in the back and you're going to take the passenger seat," Jasper told him. "You'll have just enough leg room."

"To what? Look like I'm doing the chicken dance down the highway?" Emmett barked.

"Emmett wants to be a chicken. Emmett wants to be a duck. Quack, quack," Jasper sang, laughing his way through the words.

"Alice just had to buy Lily the Chicken Dance Elmo doll," Emmett said, shaking his head.

"I take it the doll sings that song," I said, looking between Jasper's amused face and Emmett's annoyed one."

"Lily hated the thing at first and now she loves it, jumping around and trying to do her own version of the chicken dance," Jasper explained.

"If I didn't love my baby girl so much, I'd have set that damn doll on fire by now," Emmett said. He put one foot into the car and then took it back out, frowning at the vehicle.

"Just get in," Jasper demanded. "There's enough room for you."

"Said the blonde tooth-pick," Emmett grumbled. He groaned and grunted, but finally managed to get himself into the passenger seat. "Houston, we have a problem," he sighed.

"What? Did you forget to make a trip to the little boy's room before getting in?" Jasper laughed.

"No, smart-ass," Emmett growled. "I got into the car, but I can't move enough to close the door."

I looked back at Jasper and then at Emmett again. "Seriously?"

Emmett nodded his head and that was all it took to send Jasper and me into a fit of laughter.

"He can't move," Jasper roared, grabbing his stomach as he continued to laugh.

"I'll fix it," I chuckled. I got out and went around to Emmett's door, making sure I had enough clearance to actually close it. With Emmett taken care of, I slid into the driver's seat again and started up the car.

"Listen to this baby purr," Jasper said, sounding awed.

"Jasper, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you just—"

"Shut up, Emmett," Jasper and I said together, having a pretty good idea of how his sentence would have ended.

"Stuff me into a damn car and then tell me to shut up," Emmett muttered, staring out of the passenger window like a tantrum-throwing three year old.

Once we were on the highway, smoothly speeding down the road, Emmett was forced to admit the car was nice. He still complained a little about the space in the car, but he was impressed with everything else, especially with how much Jasper knew about the car.

"So, Jasper, when are you going to tell Alice you want your own sports car?" I asked, grinning at his reflection in the rearview mirror.

"I can't answer that question," he said, smirking a little.

"Can't or won't?" Emmett pressed.

"Can't," Jasper replied. "My lovely wife would kill me since my answer depends on the information I made her promise to keep secret."

"Dinner's only ten hours away," Emmett said. "Alice will never know you told us."

"Are you kidding?" I laughed. "Ali _always_ knows. She still claims she knew Rose was pregnant before Rose knew."

"I admit the pixie can guess correctly pretty often, but how will she know Jasper told with us not being anywhere near them today?" Emmett asked.

"Don't know and don't care," Jasper said. "I'm not risking it."

"Wuss," Emmett chuckled.

"I love the way you always act like my sister doesn't _completely_ terrify you," Jasper replied.

"She doesn't," Emmett shrugged.

"Right," Jasper and I laughed.

"Just like Alice doesn't scare Jazz, and Bella doesn't scare me," I added.

Emmett let out a growl. "How the hell did we all end up whipped? When I first met you guys, we were doing our own things, hanging out at the gym, checking out girls."

"And now we're all happily married. I don't see where we lost anything, Em," Jasper said.

"I don't mean it like that," Emmett replied. "I just never would have believed I'd be one of those guys listening to his wife."

"You do it because you want her to be happy, Emmett. There's nothing wrong with that. In fact, it's more manly that acting like a caveman," Jasper told him.

"Thank you, Doctor Spock," Emmett said sarcastically.

"He's the baby doctor. You should have said Freud," Jasper corrected.

"I'd rather go with Dr. Ruth," Emmett chuckled.

"Of course you would," Jasper sighed, shaking his head. "My sister married a perv."

"Says the man who plays cat and mouse with his wife," Emmett replied, grinning wickedly.

"Stop before you start," I warned Emmett.

"Oh, come on, Edward. Let me educate those little virgin ears of yours," Emmett chuckled.

I smirked at him, knowing just how to shut him up. "On second thought, Em, go ahead and tell me. I'll be sure to try whatever it is with Bella tonight."

"So Jasper, didn't you say something about designing a house?" Emmett asked.

"Yes, I did," Jasper chuckled. "It's a good first home for us. I just need to find the perfect location to build it."

"Tell us about it," I said.

"It's going to be two-stories with three bedrooms and an office for each of us. The kitchen will be huge for entertaining—you both know how much Alice loves parties."

"A pool?" Emmett asked, looking hopeful.

Jasper chuckled at him. "Don't know yet. It'll depend on the property."

"You should talk to Heidi," I suggested.

"Yeah, I really like her," Emmett added. "She's honest and she doesn't talk crap. I told her what I thought the house was worth and she told me I was undervaluing it, especially with the new roof."

"I'll have to do that. First, I have to find the time to see some properties without Alice around," Jasper replied. "I want to surprise her with as much of it as possible."

"Speaking of surprises," I said. "I have an idea for Bella that I want to share with you two."

"You've got my attention," Emmett chuckled. "It's not like I can go anywhere."

"I'll trade my attention for a turn behind that steering wheel," Jasper said, looking hopeful.

"Attention _and_ secrecy," I countered.

"Done," Jasper replied immediately.

"What about me? I can't drive this matchbox," Emmett whined.

"We'll rent the bikes right after we take the car back," I offered.

"Deal," Emmett said, grinning wide. "So what do you have planned for my baby sister this time?"

I smiled, hoping they were going to like the idea as much as I did. It was critical that they like it because I wasn't going to be able to pull it off without them both helping me. I'd eventually need Rosalie and Alice as well, but not until much later. For now, the fewer people who knew about it, the better. I didn't want Bella hearing anything about it until it was ready for her.

* * *

Hello!!! I wanted to get this out to you guys before we all get lost in the craze of this weekend! I'm going to be away for a few days, but I promise to have another chapter when I return. I wanted Edward to have a fun chapter or two before I smack him with more drama. Next chapter will be the girls' POV, and then a final chapter about Edward's free day. After that, we get into some major drama for our fluffy little couple. Sorry, Edward. You know I love you and won't hurt you...much.

I hope you all have a great weekend and get out to see the movie! Whether we all love the movie or only certain parts of it, it's _our_ movie. And at the very least, we have these books to thank for bringing us all together on this site and others like it. So go out and show your support for your favorite Cullen (or wolf if you can stand their smell - ha!).


	19. Girls Day

**First, I am so amazingly happy with the Twilight movie that it helped inspire me with my OLM work! So here is a second chapter for you guys. Thanks to George for her help!  
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**Second, I want to let you all read a review for Chapter 17 from Knox. She always cracks me up and when I read this one, I had to ask her permission to post it for you all to see. This is one of the reasons I love to write - to get such great reactions from you guys:**

Okay, when I was at school, everybody gave me a motto and it goes like this: "Is Mary Hinson gonna have to smack a ho?" We'd use it anytime anybody stepped out of line and needed to be, erm, guided back into being a functional human. So you let Edward know that I will MORE than willingly smack his ho for him. But if he says for me to smack YOU then I'll pass cause you give me too many stories for me to be angry at you! :D Can't wait for next week!

**And third, I wanted to let you know that I'm posting pictures of the car the guys rented in the last chapter, and the things Bella sees in this chapter on my website in the OLM photobook.** Hope you all enjoy this chapter! It's got a little bit of foreshadowing in it. Next chapter is the last part of the BFD and it'll be Edward's POV.

* * *

**DISCLAIMER:** The characters do not belong to me…they are all the creation of the wonderful Stephenie Meyer.

**A Girls Day**

**Rosalie's POV**

What a strange day this was shaping up to be! Bella was excited to spend the day away from Edward and Alice was the one moping around. I'd have bet Emmett's Jeep that their attitudes would have been reversed. Esme figured Alice was in a mood because of her promise to keep the news about Jasper's potential promotion a secret until tonight. As for Bella, neither of us had a clue. So I decided it was time to ask.

"Bella, I love that you're so into today, and I don't want to dampen that in anyway, but why are you so chipper? Usually, an hour away from Edward has you pouting and wanting to go home," I said.

She shrugged and smiled, chewing on a piece of pretzel. "I'm having fun with you guys."

"Bella, can I please have half of that pretzel?" Alice asked, sitting down next to her. "The smell is making my mouth water."

"Sure," Bella chuckled, breaking off half for Alice. "Are you sure you don't mind the mustard on it?"

"Absolutely," Alice said, licking her lips.

Esme and I exchanged a glance before laughing at the two of them.

"I think my daughter is experiencing sympathy cravings," Esme chuckled.

"Emmett did it enough when I was pregnant with Lily," I said.

"My favorite was when he shared your labor pains," Bella said, giggling a little.

"We'll see how funny you find it when you're in labor and Edward is complaining about his stomach ache," I told her. "Then we'll see if you think it's funny or you want to pummel your husband."

"Rosalie, don't scare the dear girl," Esme chided, playfully swatting my arm.

Bella's eyes widened. "Is it going to be very painful?"

"Remember when Edward startled you and you fractured your ankle?" I asked her.

"Yeah," she squeaked.

"Imagine that times a hundred and concentrated in your stomach. All you want to do is push and you have a room full of nurses and your doctor telling you that you can't push, don't even think about pushing. And when you're tired from all the pain and you just want to sleep, that's when they'll tell you to push. Child birth is a beautifully torturous procedure."

"Why don't you make it sound completely awful, Rosalie?" Alice asked sarcastically. "I don't think Bella's heart did a big enough back-flip just now."

"I'm not scared," Bella lied. "Just curious."

"Bella, don't be afraid," I said softly, sitting next to her and hugging her. "Look, I'm not trying to scare you. Childbirth is painful and it is the single hardest thing you'll do in your life, but it's also beautiful and rewarding. Trust me, the moment they put your little boy in your arms, you'll know it was all worth it. It'll still have hurt like a son-of-a-bitch, but you'll have this perfect little piece of Edward and you and that's the only thing you'll be focused on."

"Bella Cullen?" one of the women called.

"She's here," I said, taking the pretzel from Bella and helping her to her feet.

"Hello, Bella," the woman greeted. "What can we do for you today?"

"I want to cut my hair up to my shoulders and layer it. Just an easily manageable style that won't take much work on my part," Bella explained.

"Long layers," Alice added. "She has great natural highlights."

"Yes, she does," the stylist agreed. "Let's get you seated and started." She led Bella over to a seat a few feet away from us.

I took that as my chance to figure out what was wrong with the pixie. I sat down next to her, noting the way she was nervously munching on her piece of pretzel. "Hey, Pixie?" I called, nudging her shoulder with mine. "What's with you today? You're awfully quiet."

"Tired. I was up most of the night. I've had friggin' insomnia for a week now. First, I couldn't take the suspense of Jasper's promotion. Then, I get the answer and he _forbids_ me from sharing it with anyone." Her eyes narrowed as her lips turned down in a frown. "I think he's trying to torture me for something."

"Like what?" I asked, trying hard not to laugh. The idea of my brother being vindictive was too foreign to not be funny.

"I don't know," Alice sighed, her little shoulders slumping. "Maybe he didn't like my attempt at authentic Italian cuisine. I should have stuck with the Chicken Alfredo instead of trying the Vegetarian Lasagna. What was I thinking? Jasper has never expressed an interest in trying out a vegetarian diet."

"Alice, I think you're channeling Edward and over-thinking. Jasper has always been an equal-opportunity food eater. He likes vegetables and fruits just as much as he likes meat. Besides, if Jasper had an issue with you, he'd just tell you."

"So why torture me with secrecy?" she whined.

"Dear, before you get yourself too worked up, you might want to consider that Jasper just wants to be the one announcing something for once. He's always been the quietest one of all of us. Maybe he just wants the chance to be the center of excitement for a change."

"Rose?" Bella called.

I walked over to my sister-in-law, hoping she was okay. She was biting at her lip, a sure sign she was either nervous or worried—or both. "What's up, Bells?"

"I'm thirsty all of a sudden," Bella whispered, glancing over at Alice and Esme.

"Okay. I'll get you some water," I said, not understanding her nervous behavior.

"Rose, I shouldn't be thirsty," she whispered. "It's _bad_ for me to be thirsty."

Ah! Now I understood. She was worried about her blood pressure. "Bells, it would be bad under certain circumstances. Just not this one," I assured her.

"But I—"

"Just ate a salty pretzel covered in mustard? Yes, you did," I said, smiling at her.

Bella smiled and visibly relaxed. "I did!"

"Yes, Silly Bella," I chuckled. "Now sit here and relax while I get you a water."

"We actually have some in the back," the stylist said. "Clara, can you please get a water bottle for Bella here?"

"Sure thing," the girl behind the counter chirped. She headed into the back of the salon and returned a minute later with a cold bottle of water. The stylist was amazingly patient, waiting for Bella to quench her thirst.

The poor girl had just started cutting on Bella's hair again when she was interrupted once more. "I have to use the restroom," Bella squeaked. "Right now."

"Sure," the stylist said, looking a little surprised. "It's in the back, first door on your left."

Bella was up and out of the chair in record time, scurrying off toward the back.

"Sorry," I said, shrugging at the stylist. "She's pregnant."

"That explains it," she chuckled. "I've got two of my own, so I understand."

"How old?"

"My boy is six and my little girl is a very precocious three."

"I have a little girl, too. She's seventeen months."

"Oh, that's a great age. They're just learning to really talk. Then again, they're walking so they're into _everything_."

"That about sums up my days," I chuckled.

"You have great hair," the stylist said. "Have you ever thought about straightening it out?"

"I actually prefer my curls," I replied. I didn't feel the need to explain that my mother had, had curly hair and that I refused to straighten mine, wanting to have that little piece of her every time I looked in the mirror. Only Emmett knew about that secret wish…Well, he was the only one I'd told. Jasper probably knew just from being my twin and being in tune with me.

Bella returned, sitting carefully in the seat. "Sorry," she said, smiling shyly at the stylist.

"It's no problem," the woman assured her. "Ready to continue?"

"Yes," Bella said, sounding excited now. "Let's get this done."

**AJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJ**

**Alice's POV**

The part of the day I'd anxiously been waiting for had finally arrived. I was kicked back in a chair, with a warm towel over my face, while my fingers were being pampered with a manicure. This last week had been so stressful! I'd had insomnia for most of it, too excited about the pending promotion to sleep. And then I'd gotten the answer and been sworn to secrecy about it. Jasper really didn't have any idea how torturous this was. I had so many ideas about what had happened, but I couldn't share a single one with my best friend, or my sister-in-law, or my mother. All because Jasper had made me promise him.

Then again, Jasper rarely asked for anything from me and it wasn't really _that_ horrible to wait. Still, it would be a huge relief to have it over and done with. It was just way too tempting to open my mouth and let a little hint or two slip to see if they would guess. If they guessed, I would just be confirming, and a confirmation was in no way akin to a declaration.

No, that wouldn't be fair to Jasper. I would just have to wait until tonight. My mom was probably right about him wanting to get to announce his own news for a change. He really had picked the oddest thing to decide to announce, though. Of all the things to pick, he wanted this one. I loved him with all my heart, but I'd probably never completely understand him. And I think that was one of the things I loved about him most—he always had that little piece of mystery to him.

"Feeling better now that you're getting pampered?" Rose asked from somewhere beside me. She and I were the only ones getting manicures. Bella had complained about the smell being too much so she had gone off with Esme to look through a few of the shops. I'd made her swear she'd wait for me before going into the baby boutique.

"Yes, I am. This was exactly what I needed to feel more like myself," I answered. "How are you enjoying your Emmett and Lily free day?"

"It's nice, but I do miss them."

"I'm surprised Bella is doing so well being away from Edward."

"She doesn't want to interrupt, and she promised to call him in about an hour so she's just waiting until then."

"Edward says she's really come around with letting go of things and letting him be in charge of them."

"Just like Emmett told him she would. That independent streak of hers is no match for pregnancy," Rose chuckled. "And neither was mine. I'm almost scared to see what happens with you when you're pregnant."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked, glaring in the general direction of Rose's voice.

"Relax, Pixie. I didn't mean it in a bad way. You're just always so energized. I'm curious if you'll keep that or if pregnancy will calm you."

"It would be nice to know," I mumbled.

"My turn," Rose said, pulling the towel off my face. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Okay, so I was really being driven crazy by two secrets. Thankfully, one of them was something I'd decided to keep secret so it was no biggie if I broke my own code of silence. "Jasper and I have been trying for the last six months, but all the tests keep coming up negative."

"Have you talked to your doctor?"

"Numerous times. At first, she said it was because we weren't tracking my cycle closely enough. Then, she said we were too focused on wanting to be pregnant. Now, she's sending us to a specialist."

"Does she think one of you is infertile?" Rose asked, her forehead creased with worry.

"I don't think so. She's just out of answers for us. She says the fertility clinic will have more tests they can perform to find out what's wrong. It's going to take a chunk out of our savings, though. Jazz says not to worry about it. He says it'll all work out in the end."

"What about you? What about that crazy sixth sense you always seem to have for this stuff?"

"Doesn't work on myself unless it's amazingly clear. Sometimes, I get glimpses of a little black haired boy, but other times, it's a little blonde haired girl. Nothing like when I met Jasper and saw our wedding."

"I wish you would have told me about this before now, Alice. I would have been there for you. So would Bella and your mom."

"I don't want the whole family knowing about it. This is one time where I actually want privacy. And besides that, the last thing Bella needs is to be worried about me."

"Alright, then. It'll stay between you and me. So start talking."

I sighed, not even knowing where to start. "I'm a little jealous of Bella and you. It's sort of why I haven't been around so much in the last few weeks. I know it's silly, but I think of how easily the two of you got pregnant and I get angry. You were pregnant just a couple of months after starting to try with Emmett. And Bella's was a fluke! Why does it have to be so hard for me?"

"Anger and jealousy are both two very understandable emotions, Alice."

I snorted a little despite my mood. "That's exactly what Jasper told me."

Rose smiled at me. "He knows his stuff. Look, pregnancy is one of the most emotional things a woman experiences in her life. There's the nervousness over deciding if you're ready for a baby or not. There's the panic and excitement of waiting for that test to give you an answer. And that's just trying to _get_ pregnant. Once you actually have that life growing inside of you, the emotional side flips out completely. Your hormones run rampant, you worry if you're ready, you worry if you'll be a good parent, and you'll worry if you can make it through all nine months without something going wrong. And the more you want that baby, the harder it is to relax and not worry. That's the big thing I learned from carrying Lily; I was just lucky that I didn't have any blood pressure issues like Bella is dealing with."

"I want to have babies with Jasper so much, Rosalie. I want to know what it's like to grow a life inside of me. And I want to know what it's like to bring a baby into this world. That shouldn't be asking too much."

"No, it shouldn't. But for a lot of people in this world, it is. Still, you're luckier than most. You have the means to afford a fertility doctor to help you. And if that still doesn't work, then Jasper and you would absolutely qualify for adoption."

"I know that. I will definitely adopt if I can't have my own. But selfishly, I don't want to have to even consider adoption. I want _my_ child."

Rose took my hand and squeezed it reassuringly. "Alice, the best thing you can do is to have faith and be patient. I know it's easier said than done, but waiting is the only way some times. Look at how long it took Jasper and I to find the people we were meant for, and it was so worth the wait. Think of how easily Edward and Bella could have missed out on knowing each other. If he had decided not to come with us that night, he might never have met Bella. He probably would have moved away to go to medical school and someone else would have come along and swept her off her feet."

"Scary to think life could be so different from such a small choice," I said.

"The funny thing about life is that you never know whether a choice is going to be a big one or a little one until you're too far down the road to take it back."

Rose let go of my hand so that the ladies working on us could start on those hands. As I watched my nails become the perfect shade of pink, I thought about Rose's view of life, waiting, and choices. I'd always been the type of person to make a quick decision and run after it. But since creating a life was such a huge responsibility, maybe all I really needed was to slow down and plan out each step. Alice Cullen Hale planning something other than a party! What an idea! Still, if it ended with me holding my own little baby, wasn't it worth the effort on my part?

**BEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBE**

**Bella's POV**

I pulled out my phone for probably the hundredth time, hoping it would finally be time to call Edward. I'd been missing him for the last hour and it had made it so hard to wait to call him. But he deserved this day and I wasn't going to interrupt his fun.

Luckily, it was close enough to the halfway mark that it wouldn't matter. I hit his speed dial, impatient to finally hear his voice. Esme chuckled at me as she sat down across from me. We'd wandered into a little coffee shop to warm up and let Esme get a cup of coffee.

"Hello, Love," Edward greeted, his velvet voice sounding smooth and happy. "I miss you."

"I miss you, too," I sighed, ecstatic to finally be talking to him. "Are you enjoying your day?"

"I am. Thank you for doing this for me, Bella."

"You're welcome," I said, smiling wide. "Are Emmett and Jasper behaving?"

"As much as they can," Edward chuckled. "What about Alice?"

"She's been great. She's getting a manicure with Rosalie right now."

"You didn't want one?"

"The smells," I said, my nose crinkling up at the thought.

"Sorry."

"Me, too. I'd hoped I was far enough into the second trimester to not be bothered. But it's okay. Rose and Alice are going to do my nails for me when we get back to the house."

"What else do you have planned for today?"

"Alice wants to walk around a few of the shops. There's a baby boutique a couple of doors down from the nail salon and Alice wants us to go in there."

"How did she get you to agree to that?"

"I want to look. I just don't want to _buy_ yet. But enough about me. What are you doing?"

"We're on our way to our next destination. Jasper and Emmett won't tell me anything about it, except that I'll like it."

"Oh, that's nice of them to surprise you."

"I hope," he chuckled. "You know how their surprises tend to go when I'm involved."

"Yes, they do seem to enjoy teasing you more than they should sometimes. But they really do love you. If they didn't, they wouldn't bother."

"I know. I miss you, Bella."

I smiled, glad that I wasn't the only one feeling this way. "I miss you, too. You should go have some more fun now. I'll see you tonight at dinner."

"I have time. We aren't even to whatever place we're going yet. Talk to me some more," Edward pleaded.

"You miss me that much?" I asked, smiling a little.

"More than that."

"Did you enjoy your pancakes?"

"Very much. Thank you. And please thank my mother."

"I will."

"What did you have for breakfast?"

"We went to this really beautiful place, I can't remember the name now, something French I think. Anyway, I had fresh fruit and this dish that was spinach, cheese, and eggs. It was really good. I might have to learn how to make it."

"Maybe we can learn together. It's been awhile since we cooked together."

"I'd love that, Edward," I said excitedly. "The last time we cooked was for Thanksgiving when we made that corn soufflé thing together."

"Okay, then. That's what we'll do next Saturday morning."

"Aren't we house hunting again?"

"Not until the afternoon."

"Perfect."

Edward sighed heavily and I knew what was coming. "Love, I'm being told I have to get off the phone before they toss it out the car window."

"It's okay, Honey. Go have fun with the boys and I'll see you tonight."

"You know you're welcome to call again, right?"

"I know," I said, trying to sound chipper for him. "But it's only six more hours. Go have fun and I'll get back to spending time with the girls. I love you."

"I love you, too, Bella."

I hung up the phone before I could change my mind and tell him to come get me.

"Are you okay, Dear?" Esme asked, putting her hand on mine.

"Yeah," I said, trying to smile. "I just miss him. You'd think that would be impossible with how much time I spend with him."

"Bella, I've been married for almost thirty years and I still miss Carlisle every single moment I'm not with him."

"Really?"

"Yes, really," she assured me. "Carlisle and I are just better at ignoring it. We know that as much as we love each other, we have to have our own interests and give each other space. We can't have every second of our lives be about the other person."

"That's sort of what I was thinking when I planned this day for Edward. I know life is going to change for us when the baby comes and we're going to have less time for it just to be the two of us. So this can help him get used to that while letting him have some fun."

"I'm sure the two of you will quickly adapt and find your balance again. And you have a wonderful support system to help you through it."

"Yes, we do," I agreed, smiling happily. "I don't know what we would do without all of you."

"Wear frumpy clothes and read books all the time," Alice chirped, sitting down next to me.

"Let me see," I chuckled.

Alice held up her hands and showed off her pink nails.

"Very nice," I said. "It's definitely you."

"While Princess Pixie went with her usual pink perfection, I tried something new," Rose said, holding out her hands.

"It's a lovely color on you," Esme replied with an approving look.

"I never would have thought of that shade of purple for you, but it looks great," I said.

"Now she just needs a shirt to match," Alice added.

"I'm not buying myself anything," Rose replied. "I spent this month's clothing budget on Emmett's birthday gift."

"What did you get him?" I asked.

"A laptop with a built in web cam, and a separate web cam for my laptop," Rose said proudly. "I researched them for the past month before finding the one I wanted. This way, when he's on the road with the team during football season, he can see and talk to Lily over the computer."

"Rose, he's going to love that," I squealed. "He missed you guys so much last season."

"It'll be a huge thing for Lily, too. She hated not seeing her daddy before bedtime," Rose said.

"Does Emmett still read to her?" Alice asked.

Rose smiled, her eyes bright with happiness. "Every single night. He sits down in the rocking chair with her and they read together. Well, more like Lily flips the pages and Emmett makes up a story, but it's their thing."

"Em's a good daddy," I said, smiling at Rose.

"Yes, he is," she agreed. "Lily and I are very lucky girls to have him taking care of us. But enough about my big bear. Did you get to talk to Edward?"

"I did," I chuckled. "Em and Jazz were taking him somewhere top secret. He sounded like he was enjoying the suspense, though."

"Is he ready to come and steal you back?" Alice asked, laughing a little.

"Probably," I replied. "But since he has no idea where we are, he can't."

"Speaking of being places," Alice chirped. "Are you ready to go into the boutique? I'm dying to see the little clothes up close. They just look so cute in the window."

"Yeah, I'm ready," I chuckled. "Just remember that we're only looking and not buying."

"Sure, sure," Alice sighed. She was trying her best to stick to my no purchasing rule, but it went against every fiber in her little shopaholic body.

Esme finished off her coffee and we headed over to the store. A bell above the door jingled as we entered. Two ladies called out "hello" and "welcome" to us, and I immediately fell in love with the little store; it was so calm and quiet.

"Oh, they have a little of everything," Alice chirped. "Let's start with the furniture section and work our way toward the clothes. If we see anything you want to show Edward, I'll snap a pic with my camera phone for you."

"Sounds like a sensible plan, Alice," I said, hugging her.

"I'm known to have a few," Alice chuckled. She slipped out from under my arm and danced over to a crib with a white canopy. "This is so cute."

"A bit girly, though," Rose said, walking toward Alice.

I didn't even look their way because my eyes had already found an object that captivated their undivided attention. I'd promised myself I wouldn't fall in love with anything in the baby store. I didn't want to buy anything until the doctor proved I was right about the baby being a boy. But looking at the pale blue crib, it was so hard to remember why I'd made the promise in the first place.

Reluctantly, I pulled my eyes away from it and followed after Alice and Rose. I tried to pay attention to everything they were showing me, but my eyes kept roaming back over to that crib. It was just so beautiful and very boyish. It was also sort of old-fashioned looking to me. I could just picture a little bronze-haired baby sleeping peacefully in it.

I shook my head, focusing on the clothes in front of me one again. I flipped through a few hangers and found the cutest little outfit. "Esme, Alice, Rose…you guys have to come see this."

The three of them wandered over and started laughing as soon as they saw what I had in my hands.

"You are _so_ getting that," Alice chuckled.

"If you won't buy it, _I_ will," Rose promised. She took the blue overalls with the lion face from me, checking out the back of the outfit before turning it toward the front again. "This is too adorable, Bella. I'm already picturing my little nephew in it."

"Did I ever tell you what Edward's favorite toy was when he was a little boy?" Esme asked, smiling wide.

I thought about it for a second, but couldn't remember having talked about it. "Not that I recall."

"His little stuffed lion," Esme chuckled.

"Oh, my gosh!" Alice squealed. "I forgot all about that! Edward used to hide behind the furniture and jump out with his hands shaped into claws, screaming 'rawr' at whoever was passing. And the way his hair always stuck out, actually made him look a little wild." Alice's smile turned into a frown. "He cried when that lion disappeared."

"And you gave him your stuffed frog, wanting to cheer him up," Esme added. "He wouldn't take it from you, though. He knew how much you loved it."

Alice's face brightened back up again. "Didn't you take us to the store to let him pick out anything he wanted?"

"Yes," Esme confirmed. "I was proud of him for being such a big boy and being so sweet to you about that frog. He ended up picking out a toy piano, the first of many."

"I can't picture Alice with a stuffed frog for the life of me. I was sure you'd have been a Barbie girl," Rose said.

Alice put her hands behind her back and swayed on her feet a little, giving a shy smile. "Patrick. He was a prince that had been turned into a frog. I was positive that one day, I would kiss him at bedtime and he would turn back into his handsome self and marry me."

"Now that sounds more like the Alice we know," Rose chuckled.

"You're first love was a stuffed frog?" I laughed. "Alice, you're just too much sometimes."

"I'm a girly girl," Alice shrugged. "I dreamed of growing up, marrying the prince, and living in the giant castle."

"Are you disappointed?" I asked, curious as to what she would say.

"Not at all," she replied with a huge smile. "I definitely got my prince. And one day, he's going to design me a castle. Just on a slightly smaller, more suburban scale."

"Oh, I _have_ to tell Jasper this one," Rose chuckled.

"Don't you dare, Rosalie Hale Swan!" Alice fussed.

"Bella, what are you staring at so intently?" Esme asked.

I cringed a little, knowing I was busted—I'd been looking at that crib once again.

"What do you see?" Alice asked excitedly, bouncing next to me. "Tell us! Tell us!"

I sighed and just started walking, knowing they would follow. I stopped in front of the crib, waiting for their reaction. The seconds ticked by, but no one said anything. Slowly, I turned to see why they were being so silent…And found all three of them talking to one of the salespeople and pointing to me and the crib.

I could tell there wouldn't be any point in even trying to talk them out of this, but I was also a little upset. I'd wanted to find the perfect crib with Edward. He wanted to be as involved in the pregnancy as he could and I loved that about him, but here I was excluding him.

"Why are you frowning?" Esme asked, wrapping her arms around my shoulders. "You know you love this crib. You've probably already pictured your child asleep in it."

"How did you know that?"

"It's how I knew I'd found the perfect one for Alice. I pictured her swaddled in pink and fast asleep in it."

"I feel a little bad, though. I found it without Edward."

"Oh, Bella, Edward won't care. He'll be too ecstatic that you saw what you wanted and got it."

"Technically, you guys are getting it."

"You aren't protesting," she chuckled.

"There's no point," I laughed. "You guys moved inhumanely fast across the store and over to that saleswoman."

"They're going to have it delivered," Alice said excitedly as she bounced next to us. "We'll have to go home early to be there when it arrives, but that's no biggie."

"Since we're getting the bed, and we have to get the lion jumper, I think there's one other thing you need to finish out this shopping experience," Rose said, holding something behind her back.

"What?" I asked, trying to see behind her.

Rose's smile widened and she pulled out a set of gray pajamas. The shirt and pants set had colorful cars all over it. "It screams Edward's son," she chuckled.

"Yes, it does," I agreed, laughing with her. "Let's go before you three convince me to get anything more."

"We got Bella to shop," Alice sang, skipping over to the counter with the baby clothes. "We'll take these as well."

"We'll have them gift wrapped and sent over to you. Our delivery guy should be there around five-thirty," the saleswoman said.

"Sounds perfect," Alice replied. "Thank you so much for your help."

"Thank you," she said. "Please come back to our store any time."

"I just might," Rose mentioned as we walked out of the store. "They had some really cute dresses near the back that would look amazing on Lily."

I glanced back at the store one last time, wondering how I could have caved on my own promise so thoroughly. And then I decided it must have been fate. I hadn't been looking for a crib, and I definitely hadn't expected to fall in love with one so quickly, so it must have been meant to be. It was a good thing Alice had made the choice to visit that store, or I might never have come across that crib. Hopefully, Edward would love it just as much as I did. I couldn't wait to show it to him and get his opinion—I just had about five more hours until I'd see him.

* * *

One last A/N: OMC!!! So I just got back from seeing Twilight for the 2nd time and in my inbox is a thank you note from Kristen & Rob via Summitt for making Twilight the # 1 movie in America. It also says that New Moon is a GO! How thrilling is that??? I am so ready for the scene at the end when Edward confesses his lies in her room. GAH! What an amazing time for us Twilighters! Yeah!


	20. Bella Free Day Part2

**DISCLAIMER:** The characters do not belong to me…they are all the creation of the wonderful Stephenie Meyer.

**Bella-Free Day – Part 2**

**Edward's POV**

"Edward, slow it down. We're still in the city limits," Jasper warned.

"I know what I'm doing," I told him, switching lanes once again. Why the hell was there so much traffic on a Sunday night?

"Someone's anxious to see his wife," Jasper chuckled.

"You think?" Emmett snorted. "Hey, I missed my wife and my princess, but you don't see me wigging out about it."

"'Wigging out'?" Jasper laughed. "Is your vocabulary lost in the '80's tonight, Em?"

"Yep. Just like your haircut," Emmett shot back.

"Not everyone loves the rejected marine look," Jasper replied, not even pausing to think about his reply. These two had gotten into so many insult contests that it was amazing they weren't repeating the material.

"Being rejected is better than not even being considered, string-bean," Emmett told him.

"Why would I settle for being a marine when I could be an air force pilot and actually do something that requires the use of my strongest muscle?" Jasper asked.

"Really?" Emmett snorted. "Your hand is that strong? When did Alice cut you off?"

"I was talking about my brain, you jerk," Jasper said, punching the back of Emmett's seat.

"Hey! Take it out on him, not my Volvo," I warned.

"Sorry," they both said.

I finally made it outside of the city limits and was able to let out the car, taking her up to eighty in no time at all. Just ten more minutes at this speed and I would be home with Bella. The radar detector chirped and I growled as I slowed the car down to the sixty mile per hour speed limit. Why the limit had to be so low on this road, I would never understand. It wasn't like there was that much traffic on it and it was a fairly straight shot with only a few curves.

The detector started chirping faster and I finally spotted the cop, sitting on my left and tagging cars going in the opposite direction. As soon as I was out of his line of sight, I took the car back up to eighty and cruised the rest of the way home without interruption.

All the lights in the house seemed to be on as we pulled into the driveway. I didn't even bother with the garage, just wanting to get inside and see Bella.

"Where's the fire, Edward?" Jasper laughed as I quickly headed toward the front door. I didn't bother answering him.

"How much you want to bet he takes Bella away and we don't see either of them for dinner?" Emmett asked loudly, probably hoping to annoy me.

I ignored them both and went into the house, closing and the locking the door just to annoy them. "Bella?"

"She's upstairs," my mother called out from the kitchen.

"Thanks, Mom."

"It's nice to see you, too," she laughed.

"When I come back down," I promised, already taking the stairs two at a time. I was almost to the third floor landing when I started to hear their voices.

"We probably should have left this for them to do," Bella said.

"Don't you remember what happened with Lily's crib?" Alice asked. "They got into that huge argument about how to do it right and the three of them didn't talk to each other until we made them all apologize."

"Emmett still thinks he put it together," Rosalie laughed. "I'll never tell him I had to take it apart and put it back together the correct way."

I did my best to cover up how much I wanted to laugh as I walked into the one room with an open door—the girls were across the hall from my bedroom. "What's going on in here?" I asked.

"Edward!" Bella squealed, holding her hands up and shaking them at me.

I lifted her onto her feet and pulled her into a hug. "Hello, Love."

"I missed you," she sighed, snuggling her face into my chest so that there was hardly any space between us. "I'm so glad you're home."

"Look what Bella found today, Little Brother," Alice chirped.

I lifted my head up and found Rosalie putting together a blue crib with Alice's help. "You bought a crib?" I asked, looking down at Bella. I felt a little stupid for asking the question, but then again, Bella rarely ever bought anything.

Bella pulled her bottom lip between her teeth and nodded slightly.

"Why are you nervous?" I asked, prying her lip away with my thumb.

"It's the first thing we bought for the baby and you weren't there, and I know I said I wouldn't buy anything until the doctor—"

I put my finger on her lips, stilling her rant. "It's beautiful, Bella." I put my hand on her baby bump and smiled at her. "And if by some weird quirk, this is a girl, I'll paint it pink myself."

"So you really like it?" she asked, her brown eyes pleading for confirmation.

"I love it. It's perfect."

Bella smiled and threw her arms around my neck, hugging me tightly. "I love you."

I laughed and kissed her forehead. "I love you, too."

"So tell me about your day! I want to hear all of it," she said.

"It's going to have to wait," Alice announced, reminding me there were other people in the room. "We have to head downstairs for dinner."

"And rescue Esme from Lily," Rose chuckled.

"Lily's here?" I asked, not expecting that.

"Yeah. I missed her too much so we stopped on the way home and picked her up from the babysitter," Rose said as we all headed down the stairs."

"And she's been asking for her daddy and her 'Eee' ever since," Bella giggled.

"Eee!" Lily yelled from somewhere downstairs.

"Right on cue," Rose laughed. "That girl of mine has impeccable timing."

"Of course she does," Alice chirped. "She takes after her mother and her Aunt Alice. I'd toss your name in, Bella, but we all know it would only be for effect."

"Thanks for the love, Alice," Bella chuckled, pushing on my sister's shoulder. "Don't be so considerate of my feelings next time."

"Oh, like you were earlier when you made fun of Patrick, the frog prince," Alice replied.

"Patrick?" I asked, vaguely recalling the name.

"Yeah, the frog Alice used to kiss goodnight when she was a kid," Rose chuckled.

"Patrick," I laughed. "I remember him. I remember when Alice got into Mom's lipstick and put a big red kiss mark right on Patrick's froggy cheek."

"Do you remember your own friend, little brother?" Alice asked, grinning at me.

I smiled, thinking about how I used to take that silly thing everywhere with me. "My lion."

"I swear you thought you were a lion, too," Alice chuckled. "He went all over with you until you lost him."

"If I remember correctly, _you_ were the one who lost him," I said, pointing a finger at my sister. "You wanted to play hide and seek with him at the park, but you forgot where you hid him."

"Alice, you lost your little brother's favorite friend?" Bella gasped. "What a mean big sister you were!"

"I didn't do it on purpose," Alice huffed. "I was only nine at the time."

"And she did offer to give me Patrick to make up for it," I said, defending my big sister. "She wasn't always mean to me."

"Could you guys hurry it up?" Emmett asked. "I'm starving!"

"Eee!" Lily cried, opening and closing her little hands at me.

I helped Bella into her chair and then went over to Lily, scooping her out of her high chair. "Hi, Sweetheart," I said, kissing her cheek.

Lily pointed toward the front of the house and her baby speech poured out of her mouth. She finished speaking and just looked at me with her big blue eyes, waiting for me to understand what she wanted.

"I don't know what you want, Honey. I'm sorry," I told her.

Lily sniffled and poked out her bottom lip, pointing toward the front of the house again.

I turned and looked at my sister-in-law. "Rose, help me out?"

"What did she do?" Rose asked.

"She's pointing toward the front and she gave me a whole lecture in her baby talk," I explained.

"She's still boycotting television, so she doesn't want the living room," Rose said. "We're all in here, so she's not looking for anyone. What is else is over there?"

"The piano," Bella replied. "I bet she wants you to play with her like you did on Tuesday."

"Just put her back in her chair, Edward. She'll cry a little and then be fine," Rose said. "I'm sure you're just as hungry as the rest of us."

I couldn't imagine making Lily cry, much less just sitting around and watching her cry. "No, it's okay. I'll take her to play a few notes and we'll be right back."

"My girl has every member of this family wrapped around those little fingers of hers," Rose chuckled as I left the room with Lily.

Luckily, the laughter coming from the dining room helped Lily to loose interest in the piano fairly quickly. After only a handful of disjointed notes, she was asking for her mommy and pointing toward the dining room. I chuckled and kissed her cheek as I carried her back into the room and set her down in her high chair.

"That was quick," Emmett chuckled.

"She could hear all of you and wanted to be a part of the conversation," I said, taking my seat next to Bella. She immediately leaned over and kissed my cheek. "What was that for?" I asked.

"For being so sweet to Lily."

"So what did you boys do today?" my dad asked as he passed the rolls to Jasper.

"We started out renting an Aston Martin," Jasper replied, wearing that same grin he'd had when we'd picked up the car.

"It was a 2004 Vanquish S V-12, Dad," I told him. "It was a sleek black with red and black leather interior. And talk about a smooth ride."

"I bet," my dad chuckled. "I should have come along with you three instead of losing another golf game to Jack."

"Did you three just drive around in a car all day?" Rose asked.

"Nope," Emmett said proudly. "We also rented those Kawasaki bikes I showed you in that motorcycle magazine a couple of weeks ago."

"You were on a motorcycle?" Bella asked, looking up at me.

"Yeah. They were really nice. We took them on this trail so we wouldn't be in regular traffic," I told her.

"Jazz wasn't feeling brave enough to chance riding on the scary streets of Seattle," Emmett said, winking at Jasper.

"I've only rode two other times," Jasper defended. "Sorry that I'm not insane enough to believe playing a motorcycle video game means I can drive a bike in the real world. Or should I just say I'm sorry I'm not you?"

"They've been like this all day," I whispered to Bella.

"You know, I think Jasper and Emmett should have married each other," Bella announced, causing the entire room to fall silent. "They've fought like an old married couple from day one."

The silence remained for a few more seconds before Alice snorted and set off a round of laughter and clapping.

"We deserved that," Jasper said, nodding his head and smiling.

"Yeah," Emmett agreed.

"What else did you do today?" Bella asked, her cheeks pink from all of her laughing.

"That surprise I mentioned on the phone? They took me to the batting cages," I replied.

"You must have loved that," Bella said excitedly.

"I did," I chuckled. "My shoulder's probably going to be sore for a few days, but I enjoyed it nonetheless."

"Yeah, Squirt. If we can get you to agree to let us have him, we want to make it a monthly thing to head down to the cages," Emmett said.

"But not for the whole day again. A few hours here or there, but that's it," I said.

"Definitely," Bella sighed, resting her head on my shoulder.

After dinner was done, we said our goodbyes to Emmett, Rosalie, Lily, Alice and Jasper. Em and Rose wanted to get Lily home and into bed since it was already past her normal bedtime. As for Alice and Jasper, they had plans to finish celebrating the good news Jasper had shared with us all—he'd gotten the promotion at his job. It meant he would have better working hours and much better pay; he would also have a new office and would be working with some of the highest profile clients that used the firm.

I sat down on the end of the sofa and Bella stretched out across it, laying her head in my lap. She'd been yawning non-stop for the last twenty minutes and I doubted she would be up much longer. I started stroking her hair to help relax her completely.

My parents cuddled together on the loveseat next to us. "So, Bella, I hear you found a crib you just had to have," my father said, smiling at my wife.

Bella covered her mouth as another yawn escaped her. "Yes, I did. Rosalie put it together for us."

"Carlisle, wait until you see it," my mother said. "It's the softest blue and it's the kind that changes into a toddler bed later on. It's just perfect."

I ran my hands through Bella's hair, just as I'd been doing for the last few minutes, but suddenly stopped cold. "Where's the rest of your hair?" I asked, shocked that I hadn't noticed earlier.

Bella started giggling and turning red while my mother laughed from behind her hand.

"Son, are you okay over there?" my father asked.

"I was stroking her hair and I realized it wasn't all here," I told him. "Sit up, Bella. Let me see it."

"Okay," she giggled. She sat up and smoothed her hair into place, smiling at me. "Do you like it?"

"Why did you cut it?" I asked, checking out the new length.

She shrugged. "I wanted something easy to mess with in the mornings. I'm not in the mood to deal with lots of hair and tangles, so I got it cut. Why? Do you hate it?" she asked, pouting at me.

"No, I don't hate it," I chuckled, wrapping my arms around her. "It's just going to take some getting used to, that's all."

"Can we get used to it tomorrow? I'm too tired tonight," Bella yawned.

"Alright," I said, helping her to stand. "Night, Mom and Dad. We'll see you tomorrow."

"Goodnight, Edward. Sleep well, Bella," my mother replied.

"Goodnight, kids," my dad called as we started up the stairs.

"I want to wipe my face down with a warm towel, get into my flannel pajamas, and sleep for a week," Bella sighed, leaning most of her weight against me.

"It was definitely a long day," I agreed. "I'm glad to be home with you."

"I'm glad you had a fun day. When you talked about it during dinner, you sounded like you really enjoyed it."

"I did. But I still missed you."

"Same here. It was so weird with the crib thing, Edward," Bella said, suddenly standing up straighter and looking more alert. "One minute, I'm wondering how I'll ever get Alice out of the store without buying anything, and the next, I'm walking out with a crib and two outfits."

"Outfits?"

"Oops," Bella giggled. "Those were supposed to stay a secret until the baby shower."

"I'll forget you mentioned them at all," I assured her, pushing our bedroom door open for her.

"Edward, I need to tell you something, but you have to promise to stay calm and not freak out."

"I'll do my best."

"I don't feel well."

"You're going to need to be a lot more descriptive than that, Love," I said, sitting her down on the bed.

"I feel achy and yucky, like I have a fever."

"Have you checked your temperature?"

"No. It started toward the end of dinner but I thought it might just be that I didn't care for the food."

"I noticed you didn't eat much."

"It all tasted funny to me."

"Well, let's just see if you have a fever first and go from there. Go check your temperature in the bathroom and I'll get your pajamas."

"Okay," she said, giving me a little smile.

"I'll be right in," I said, kissing her forehead and helping her to stand. She went into the bathroom and I stepped into our closet, looking for her pajamas. I found them on the second shelf I checked and grabbed a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt for myself.

Bella was reading the thermometer when I walked into the bathroom. "Normal," she said, holding it out to me. "Guess I'm just _that_ tired."

I took the thermometer, checked the readout, and then put it onto the counter. "Stay home tomorrow."

"Edward, I'm not running a fever so I doubt I'm sick. I'll take things extra slow and easy and I'll be fine."

I wrung most of the water from the washcloth and then started wiping down her face. "You haven't missed a day since you started teaching. You can call in sick, Bella."

"I don't know," she sighed.

"Do you have any tests or quizzes planned? Or papers due?"

"No."

"Then your students will be happy to have a free period."

Bella remained quiet, thinking over her options while she changed out of her clothes and into her pajamas. She stayed silent until we were lying in the bed together, watching the moon peek out from behind the clouds. "I think I will stay home tomorrow," she whispered.

I smiled and kissed her temple, happy to have her taking a break. "I'll let your department know, that way, you don't even have to get up to call."

"Thank you."

"Thank _you_. It's nice to see you putting yourself first."

"I told you I would," she yawned.

"I know, but I also know how important your job is to you."

"Our baby is more important than anything else."

"_You_ are what's important," I corrected. "Take care of yourself first and foremost."

Bella put her hand against my cheek, smiling at me. "That's exactly what I'm doing, Tutor-boy, so calm down and take a breath."

"I thought that was the point of my banishment today," I chuckled, kissing her forehead.

"If you had just agreed without a fuss, you wouldn't have had to be banished," she mumbled.

"Go to sleep, Love," I whispered into her ear, tucking the blanket tighter around her. I set the alarm on my phone and made sure the actual clock next to Bella was turned off. With any luck, she'd sleep straight through my phone alarm and me getting ready for work.

The second I registered my phone's alarm going off, I reached out and grabbed it, turning it off. I looked down, glad to see Bella was still fast asleep on my chest. She'd either gotten cold in the night or she'd a bad dream because she was completely on top of me. I wrapped my arms around her and carefully rolled her onto her pillow.

I laid with her for a few moments, making sure she would stay asleep, and then kissed her and the baby goodbye. I quickly dressed and left the room, not wanting to chance waking her. The smell of fresh coffee hit me as soon as I stepped into the hallway and I inhaled the scent deeply. I'd never gotten my coffee yesterday, so I would just get some this morning.

"Morning," I greeted, kissing my mother's cheek.

"Would you like a cup?" she asked, pouring her own.

"Please," I said, handing her a cup for me.

"Where's Bella?" my dad asked, looking toward the kitchen door.

"She's taking the day off," I replied. "She's feeling tired."

"She's not sick, is she?" my mother asked.

"We checked her temperature last night and she was fine. She didn't seem overly warm or cold when I kissed her forehead this morning either. She probably just overdid it yesterday and needs a little extra sleep," I told them.

"I'll check on her in a couple of hours," my mom said, handing me a cup of coffee.

"Keep an eye on what she eats today, if you think about it," I said. "She said the food tasted funny to her last night and she really didn't eat very much."

"Maybe the red gravy on the meatloaf gave her heartburn," my dad suggested.

"Or it might have been the pizza bagel bites she snacked on while waiting for dinner," my mother added.

"More likely the pizza bagels then," I replied. They were another food item Bella had developed a taste for in the past couple of months. I pulled out my phone and called the school, letting them know Bella wouldn't be in today.

"It's good she's taking a day for herself," my mother said, patting my hand. "I'm sure you're relieved to see her relaxing without a fuss."

"Very," I agreed. "She's finally stopped being stubborn."

"Now we just need you to stop being overprotective," my dad chuckled.

"I'm working on it," I told him. I glanced at my watch and then stood up. "For now, I have to work on getting to the school." I shook my father's hand and then kissed my mother's cheek. "See you both this afternoon."

I left the house and got into my car, missing Bella's presence just a little. At least today wouldn't be nearly as long of a separation as yesterday. Bella would get some rest today and she'd be fine by tonight when I got home. And then she could show me the crib she'd fallen so in love with—I'd only gotten a quick glimpse yesterday.

I pulled into the school parking lot and was greeted by the last thing I wanted to see…James was sitting on a bench, right next to where I usually parked my car. I took my time gathering up my briefcase, hoping he would wander off to some other part of the school before I got out.

But as I opened the car door, I quickly saw I wouldn't be that lucky. James had moved off of the bench and closer to my car. "Morning, Professor Cullen."

"Hello, James."

"Is Professor Cullen okay?"

"She's fine."

"I saw a note on her door saying she would be out today."

"That's correct. She's home resting."

"Will she be back tomorrow?"

"I'm not sure. What does it matter? You don't have class with her tomorrow."

"Oh, I know," he said, pushing his glasses up nose. "I just…I was just curious."

"Well, if she's rested enough, you'll see her on Wednesday when it's time for your class," I said, hoping he would get the hint. He didn't need to be anywhere near my wife outside of class.

"Oh, okay. Hope she's better soon then. Bye, Professor Cullen," he said, already turning to walk away.

I shook my head at his retreating figure, hoping this might be the end of things. He was a nice guy and I probably shouldn't feel so annoyed with him, but there was just something about him that set me on edge. Bella would tell me I was just being jealous, but I wasn't so sure about that. I would just need to wait and see if James backed off, or continued to be a fly.

* * *

Thanks to George for her help. She has been highly instrumental in helping to rid me of that crazy little stint of writer's block. We should even be able to have two chapters for you guys next weekend. Woot. I had a ton of fun making Emmett and Jasper fight some more, especially since it's all for fun. And none of the girls' won the bet about Edward noticing Bella's hair. He took forever, too distracted with everything else going on. LOL!

This chapter is dedicated to Bulls in Brooklyn who is teaching me about Australia and the difference between our countries. Poor girl doesn't even get Halloween. Hope this makes your day, Bulls!


	21. Tempers Flare

**DISCLAIMER:** The characters do not belong to me…they are all the creation of the wonderful Stephenie Meyer.

**Tempers Flare**

**Bella's POV**

"Your hair's growing out already," James said, sitting in his usual spot on the corner of my desk.

I looked down at my hair, twirling an end between my fingers. Spring was finally here and the baby and I both seemed to be growing at an alarming rate. I'd cut my hair just a few weeks ago and already, it was a good bit past my shoulders. "I was telling that to Alice last night. She wanted to make another salon appointment this weekend since the guys are heading back to the batting cages, but I didn't feel up to it," I told him. "Besides, Edward likes it long."

"I think it suits your face better being short."

"I don't know. I like that it's easier to mess with in the morning, but I do miss the length. Or maybe I miss that it doesn't take Edward any time at all to brush it all out for me."

James shrugged his shoulders a little. "What are you doing this weekend?"

"Grading your paper with a ton of others," I chuckled. "I actually have to earn my title of Professor Cullen."

"Next semester, you should teach two different classes so I can come and be your student again."

"I don't know about that. I haven't decided if I want to stay home yet, and even if I came back, there's no way I could handle two separate class workloads and a brand new baby."

"I'm sure you could do anything you wanted with just a little help."

"You know, James, sucking up isn't going to get you an 'A' on your paper," I teased, smiling at him. "Once I have all of the papers done, I have to go shopping with Alice and Rosalie. We're having a party for Emmett the following weekend and I said I'd go along to get the decorations."

"You still have birthday parties for him at his age?"

"Are you kidding? Emmett would be devastated if we didn't celebrate his birthday."

"My parents stopped celebrating birthdays when I turned thirteen."

"I don't think we'll ever stop. We love getting together and celebrating."

"My sister's going to be in Minnesota that weekend. She's going to visit our parents for a few days."

"You should go with her, James," I told him.

"I would, but her car's too small for there to be room for me. Plus, I have a couple of papers due in other classes and I've been putting them off. I'm going to use that weekend to catch up."

"Why not catch up this weekend and go with her the next?"

"I already promised to volunteer at a couple of homeless shelters in the area. I wouldn't want to skip out on that."

"No," I agreed. "That wouldn't be right."

"So I'll just stay at her empty place and get my papers done," he said, looking so lonely. I felt bad for James—he was a genuinely sweet person, but so painfully shy that he couldn't let others see that. I was glad that he felt comfortable enough around me to let his true self shine. I also felt horrible that I was bragging about my great family while he was preparing to spend another weekend without his.

"James, you should take a break from studying and stop by the party," I suggested. "It's going to be Saturday afternoon, from two o'clock until whenever."

"No, that's okay. That's a family event," he sighed, pushing his glasses back up his nose.

"You should really come," I insisted. "You can meet my brother and everyone else that I'm always talking about so much."

"Well, only if you're sure, Bella. I wouldn't want to intrude on your time with your family," James said. "You already let me take up so much of it here, and I appreciate that."

"It's no problem at all," I assured him.

"Ready for lunch?" Edward asked, poking his head through the door. As soon as he saw James, his smile turned into a scowl. In the last couple of weeks, Edward had gotten it into his head that James was looking to be more than a friend to me. I figured if I just gave Edward a little bit of time, he would get over whatever jealousy thing this was and things would be fine—but I was starting to doubt that.

"Where are you being whisked off to today?" James asked, helping me up from my chair.

"It's Edward's choice today, so I don't know," I replied. "Where are we going, Honey?" I asked, smiling at Edward.

"Esme packed us a picnic lunch since it's finally warm enough for you to sit outside," Edward said, a little of his smile coming back. "Rose and Lily are going to meet us at the park."

"A picnic lunch and a visit with Lily? It's my lucky day," I chuckled, wrapping my arms around Edward's neck.

"It's warmer out there, but I still wouldn't sit on the ground, Bella," James cautioned.

"If Edward says I can do it, then I know it's perfectly safe," I said. I leaned up and kissed Edward on the lips. "I'm sure you triple-checked the weather before planning this. Right, Honey?"

Edward gave me the crooked grin I loved best, showing off his dimples. "Only twice, Love."

"I hope you at least packed her a warm lunch to counteract the cold," James mentioned.

Edward's smile faded and his jaw hardened. "James, I assure you, I'm quite capable of taking care of my wife."

"He didn't mean it that way, Edward. He's just trying to be helpful. You know he's reading about all this stuff with his sister," I said, trying to ease the tension between the two of them. I knew Edward hadn't had much experience with women, but expecting that a guy who spoke to me wanted to be more than a friend was just plain silly.

"We should get going," Edward said, holding the door wide open for me.

"I'll see you on Monday, James," I said, giving him a little wave.

"Sure thing," he replied, smiling as he grabbed his backpack from the floor.

Edward let the classroom door close as he took my hand and we started walking toward the building doors. "Are you glad it's Friday?" he asked.

"I am," I replied. "But I bet you're a lot happier about it."

"Why's that?" he asked, holding the big wooden door open for me.

"Because it's two whole days without you having to see James."

"Contrary what you think, I don't spend every second of my day worrying about James."

"Good. I was really starting to worry."

Edward pinched the bridge of his nose with his free hand, sighing deeply. He took a few minutes before replying to me and when he did, his voiced sounded tired and strained. "Please don't pick a fight with me, Bella. I know you don't see things from my point of view, and that's fine. It's Friday, we're going to spend time with Rose and our niece, and all I want to do is enjoy my lunch hour with you."

"Fine. But I still say you're wrong." Part of me wanted to feel bad that Edward seemed so upset, but the other side felt it was his own fault for getting so worked up over nothing.

"I know," he sighed, opening the car door for me.

Edward didn't speak on the way to the park. I thought about commenting on it, but then decided to let him sulk if that's what he wanted to do. He liked to poke fun at how childish Emmett acted, yet he was the one seeming like a big baby right now.

When we got to the park, he helped me out of the car and walked at my side, holding my hand. But it all seemed routine instead of him wanting to do those things. He perked up a little once we met up with Rose and Lily, and he took the baby to over to the swings.

"What's with him?" Rose asked, jerking her thumb toward Edward.

"He's in a mood."

"About?"

"James again," I sighed. "He might as well get over it now. I'm not going to stop being friends with someone just because Edward feels jealous for no good reason."

"Bells, you know I'm among the first to poke fun at Edward for being overprotective, but I got to tell you, I think this there's more to this than just jealousy. If it was just that, Edward wouldn't keep bringing it up. He'd suffer silently to let you be happy with your friend."

"What makes you think that?"

"Because there are a few areas in which Emmett, Jasper, and Edward are completely alike. All three of them would turn themselves inside out just to make us happy. They love you, me, and Alice _that_ much. They're…what's that word? The one when someone denies himself something and then takes pleasure from seeing someone else enjoy it?"

"Masochist?" I offered.

"Yeah, that's the one."

"It's silly to make yourself miserable just to make someone you care about happy."

"Really? Because I seem to recall someone running away from Edward, even though it hurt her, just so that he could go to medical school and be happy."

That shut me up! I _had_ done that, thinking it would be best for Edward. I'd been prepared to live the rest of my life alone just to ensure he had the future he deserved. I'd just been lucky that Edward was so damn persistent and had come after me—he'd told me that _I_ was what he wanted most in life and he'd married me that very night.

"I see I now have your attention," Rose said, smirking a little.

"Okay, so we are definitely at opposite ends on this whole James thing," I said. "But hopefully, when you guys all meet him next weekend, you'll see there's nothing there and then Edward can calm down."

"Meet him?" Rose asked, her eyebrows lifting up toward her curly, blonde hair.

"Yeah," I shrugged. "I invited him to Emmett's party."

"You did what?" Edward yelled. I didn't get the chance to answer because Lily started crying, having been scared by Edward's angry tone. He shook his head at me and walked off with her, trying to soothe her by humming.

"Bella, you really stuck your foot in it this time," Rose sighed, pulling a bottle out of Lily's bag. "Edward?" she called. "Come get her bottle. Between her eating and you humming, she'll calm down so much that she'll probably fall asleep."

He nodded his head stiffly and stalked over to the table. He took the bottle and went off toward another set of benches, not even glancing my way.

"He thinks he has a reason to be pissed? He hasn't seen angry," I huffed, crossing my arms in front of me.

"I've seen a lot of different sides of Edward over the years, but I've never seen him react that quickly or hotly. I'm not saying he's right, and I'm not saying he's wrong. But are you sure _you're_ right? Because if you have even a little doubt, you should cut Edward some slack. There's not a man I know, not even Emmett and Jasper, who would go to the lengths Edward has gone to trying to give you the happiest and healthiest pregnancy possible."

"You sound like you're on his side."

"I'm not taking sides. I'm just cautioning you that maybe you're being a little bit selfish. You want this guy as a friend, so you're ignoring what Edward sees."

"I'll keep an eye out for that, but right now, I don't think that's what I'm doing at all," I told her.

"I hope you're right, Bells. The last thing I want is to see Edward or you hurt in anyway."

I sighed and rested my head and arms on the table top. "He just treats me so differently all the time. Like I'm going to break or something."

"You're pregnant," she shrugged. "What did you expect him to do?"

"Act the same as he did before," I said.

"And if he had, you'd have fussed him for that too," Rose chuckled. She tapped my arm and when I looked at her, she pointed toward Edward and Lily. "Look at him, Bella. Look at the way he's cradling her and talking to her. That's just his niece. Try to imagine how he feels about his own baby. You know Edward is a passionate man. You know he feels everything deeper than the rest of us can even think about. So add all of that up and what do you get?"

"An insanely nervous husband?" I chuckled.

"So maybe his attitude towards James is a reflection of that. Why don't you try reassuring Edward instead of yelling at him?"

Rose got Edward to come over to the table and they talked quietly while I ate my lunch and Lily slept in his arms. The ride back to the school was just as quiet as the ride to the park, and I used that time to think about everything Rose had shared with me. I decided I was going to be extra affectionate toward Edward tonight, hoping to reassure him that everything was okay between the two of us. I'd probably have to put up with a lot of teasing since everyone was staying over tonight—Alice had demanded it so that we could get an early start with the shopping tomorrow. But I could put up with some teasing for Edward, especially if it helped him to get over this thing with James.

When Edward came to get me after my last class, I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him, showing him I wasn't upset about earlier in the day anymore. "I love you," I said, hugging him.

"I love you, too," he replied, removing my arms from his neck. "Ready to go?"

I'd known he was upset and I knew why he was upset, but it still hurt that he didn't want me to hug him. So I just brushed off my own hurt feelings and concentrated on cheering him up instead. As we walked toward the parking lot, I took his hand and smiled at him. "I've been looking forward to snuggling on the couch with you for the last hour."

He nodded his head, as if he were distracted and was only giving an automatic response. It was that more than anything that let me know how upset he really was—he'd never done that before. Not once.

I pulled on his hand and he stopped walking. He blinked and looked down at me, as if he were finally seeing me for the first time this afternoon. "Everything okay?" he asked.

"I was going to ask you that?"

"Just tired," he shrugged. "Long day." He tugged at my hand gently. "We should get home. Everyone will be waiting on us."

I nodded my head, not trusting myself to speak. Whether I thought he was wrong about James or not, this whole thing was obviously hurting Edward and I'd never intended for that to happen. Why couldn't he just be happy that I had a friend? Why did he have to get so upset and complicate things?

I had the entire car ride home to think about those questions since Edward didn't say a word. He just stared out of the window, tapping his fingers against the steering wheel to whatever rhythm was coming from the stereo.

We arrived home to a whirlwind of activity with Alice and Rose plotting tomorrow's shopping trip, Lily banging away on Esme's pots with two wooden spoons, and Emmett and Jasper playing some annoyingly loud game with explosions.

"Bella, come look at this," Alice demanded, holding up a magazine. "I think we should look for one of these tomorrow. There's got to be a place around here that has one."

I walked over and took the magazine, glancing at the picture and article. "I think this is going a little bit overboard, Alice. He's turning 29, not 60."

"That's what will make it funny," Alice argued, snatching the magazine back.

Before I knew it, I'd gotten pulled into a monumental debate over ice cream cake versus sheet cake and twenty minutes of my life had gone by. I looked around the room, hoping for rescue from Edward, but didn't see him anywhere.

"Where's Edward?" I asked, shouting just a little to be heard over everyone.

"He's upstairs. Said something about not feeling well," Emmett replied, never taking his eyes from his video game.

"I'll be back," I said, using Alice and Rose's shoulders to get to my feet. "I'm going to check on him really quick."

"He better not be sick," Alice warned. "I _will_ make you sleep away from him if he is."

"That's what you think," I muttered under my breath as I headed up the stairs. I really hoped he wasn't sick for his sake. Maybe he was just feeling out of sorts from skipping lunch today.

I opened the door, surprised to find the room pitch black; he'd drawn the curtains over the big windows. I carefully felt my way over to the bed and by the time I'd gotten in beside him, my eyes had adjusted. He was asleep on his back with one arm thrown over his eyes.

I moved his arm and pushed some of his hair away from his forehead. "Edward? Wake up for just a second."

"What is it?" he sighed, putting his arm back over his eyes.

"Are you okay?" I asked, rubbing his arm.

"Fine. Just tired."

"It's only six at night," I mentioned.

"I was up late last night and early this morning. I just need to rest."

"You would tell me if something was bothering you, though, right?" I asked.

A deep sigh came from him, followed by words that were barely a whisper. "Isabella, I love you. But please go away and let me sleep."

I recoiled from his words as quickly and harshly as if he'd bit me. "Go away?" I asked as a tear ran down my cheek.

"I just meant that you should go downstairs and enjoy having everyone home. You've actually had energy lately, so it'll be fun for you."

"Right," I managed while choking back a sob. "See you later then."

Before I could move, he had my wrist in his hand, looking up at me. "Don't do that, Bella. Don't make this about you when it isn't. I'm tired and I want to sleep. Don't make me feel guilty for that."

"Fine," I said, pulling my hand away. "Right after you stop lying to me."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning this all because of earlier today and the fight we had about James. I tried to make it up to you, to show you that I forgave you for the way you acted. But you don't want anything to do with me."

"_Forgave_ me?" he roared. "_You_ forgave _me_?"

His reaction was so unexpected that it took a little of the fight out of me. "Well…yeah…" I stuttered. "You're wrong about James and you're being so rude and territorial."

He just stared at me for a long while. When he finally spoke, he really did sound tired. "I'm sorry you see it that way." He rolled over and faced the wall, ending the conversation.

And because I had this streak in me that required I always have the last word, I snatched my pillow from the bed and stood up, glaring at his back. "Enjoy your rest, Edward. I'll be sleeping somewhere else tonight." I turned and stomped out of the room, slamming the door closed behind me.

And that was the start of only the tenth fight I'd ever had with Edward in the four years we'd been together. I went downstairs and spent the night with my family, pretending that I wasn't pissed off at my husband. And later on, when everyone went to bed, I went into one of the third floor guest rooms to sleep alone.

I'd just fallen into a good sleep when I was woken up by someone lifting me from the bed. I managed to get my eyes open and found myself looking up at Edward's jaw. "Edward, what are you doing?"

"I think you're wrong, I _know_ you're the most stubborn woman on the planet, but you're still the only thing I can't live without. You're not sleeping anywhere but in our bed." He laid me down gently and pulled the covers up around me. "I'll be right back. I'm going to get your pillow."

He returned a minute later, with my pillow in hand, even lifting up my head to put it under me. Once he was in the bed, I snuggled up to him, wrapping my arm around him the best that I could. That baby bump I loved so much was starting to get in the way a little.

"You know how much I love you, right?" he whispered, kissing my forehead.

"Yes. I love you just as much."

"I'm sorry you keep getting angry with me, but I can't just sit back and watch James become more and more attached to you."

"He's just a friend, Edward."

Edward sighed and his warm breath blew my hair away from my forehead. "To you, Bella."

"To him, too," I yawned.

"Go to sleep, Love. Alice will be in here to wake you before you know it." He kissed my forehead again and then my lullaby started to drift from his velvet voice. I didn't know if we were made up or still fighting, but I did know that he loved me and that I was safe in his arms. So I closed my eyes and hoped that the end of this very strange day would bring an end to Edward's worries over James.

* * *

Don't worry if Edward's reactions seem a little odd to you. It will all become clearer in the following chapters. I'll have another for you tomorrow. Thanks to George for helping!

And thank you all for loving this story so much. I got a message recently that Our Little Man has qualified for Flip a Coin's community "Best of the Best: 1000+ Reviews," thus officially recognized by the BB100+R staff as one of the best stories in the FF fandom. The link to the community is listed on my profile page. Thanks for loving the story and for sticking with me through it.


	22. Emmett's Party1

**DISCLAIMER:** The characters do not belong to me…they are all the creation of the wonderful Stephenie Meyer.

**Emmett's Party 1**

**Edward's POV**

Frustrate…defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary as "to make invalid or of no effect". That was the perfect word for what my attempts to get Bella to see reason about James were causing—we were both frustrated, but for different reasons. Bella still thought I was overreacting and reading into things. With Mike, he'd been so direct about his intentions that she couldn't possibly miss them. But James…Oh, James was slick. He never came right out and said what he wanted from Bella, but it was there in every little thing he did.

I'd thought that one lunch with him four weeks ago was going to be the end of things. And the next day, a Thursday, a day James had no reason to be near Bella, was the start of a long string of incidents that could not be written off as coincidental. That Thursday, James seemed to be everywhere we were on campus. He invited himself to lunch that day—okay, so Bella had felt sorry for him sitting all alone on a bench a few feet away from us and had invited him, but I still stand by my belief that he knew what he was doing.

And from there, it only got worse. James started meeting us in the parking lot the moment I pulled in. He was also "in the area" every time I walked with Bella during lunch or on the way to the parking lot in the evenings—nearly four weeks of James being everywhere we were at school. He'd even managed to wrangle an invitation to Emmett's birthday party today out of Bella. He'd given her some story about how he'd be all alone this weekend because his sister was going to visit their parents, and of course, Bella felt bad for him and invited him. My attempt to point out that he could have just gone with his sister wasn't met by friendly ears.

We'd had a big fight on the day she'd invited him, just last Friday actually. She'd even tried to sleep in one of the guest bedrooms. We'd never really talked anything out or made up—they're just didn't seem to be any way to get her to see what James was doing. So this week, I'd tried not to talk about James at all, doing my best to be cordial in front of him, and not speak about him after. Unfortunately, the only way to not talk about James was to not really talk at all unless I was answering a question. All of my own thoughts were focused on how his feelings were going to end up hurting my wife. For some reason, Bella took my silence the wrong way and decided I was ignoring her and that she should do the same to me. How this woman got these absurd ideas, I would never know. She was downstairs right now, waiting for Emmett's party to start, pretending that I didn't exist.

I rubbed my chest, trying to smooth away the pain caused by the very idea that Bella might not want me anymore. She was so angry so fast with me, and defended James with such tenacity. It just didn't make sense to me. Couldn't she see I was only trying to keep her from getting hurt? There was no doubt in my mind she would be hurt once she discovered her new friend was in love with her…Or maybe that was just the reaction I was hoping for because I couldn't bring myself to even consider the other possibility. No, that outcome would certainly kill me.

Maybe it was a good thing he was coming to the party today. At least this way, everyone else would get to see what I saw—I was sure they would back me up once they saw it for themselves. James wanted more than friendship from my wife and he had no problem acting as if he was already more to her right in front of my face. He had comments and opinions about everything having to do with Bella and our child, and he was never too shy to share them. He was only too shy when it came to making friends other than my wife.

There was a quick rap on our door and then Alice bounced in, holding a dress bag. She spread it out on the edge of the bed and then walked over to me, folding herself on the opposite end of my sofa. "What are you doing?" she asked.

I shook the book in my hand and went back to pretending I was reading.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Liar."

"Go away, Ali."

"I haven't seen you sulk this bad in ages. Does this have anything to do with you being up here alone and Bella being downstairs?"

"I'm not sulking. I'm contemplating."

"Is this about James?"

"Unfortunately, yes."

Alice sighed and put her head on my shoulder. "I don't want to take sides in this, Edward. None of us do."

"I'm not asking you to take sides. I just asked that you watch him and try to see things from my side."

"And your side states that James doesn't want to _just_ be friends with your wife?"

"My side states that James has an agenda, probably doesn't have a pregnant sister, and is acting like my wife and unborn child are his priority."

"If it's really that bad, I'll talk to Bella. But hopefully, you're just feeling overprotective and it'll all come to nothing. Then, you can stop being angry about it."

"I'm not even angry about it," I said, dropping the book to the floor and getting up. "I wouldn't even care if Bella wasn't so tender-hearted. Remember when she scalded Mike's hand with the coffee? And she didn't even like him, Alice. How will she react when she finds out she has to break James's heart because he's gotten the wrong idea? She's already overly concerned with him being lonely."

"Have you told Bella that's what's bothering you about him?"

"Yes. And she doesn't believe me. She thinks I'm just jealous and that I'll say anything to get her to stay away from James. Well, that was before she stopped speaking to me last week."

"You did yell at her for inviting him to the party," Alice pointed out.

"I was shocked. I wasn't expecting it and my temper got away from me. If only she'd give me just an ounce of trust on this, she would see, Alice. But no! She's stubbornly convinced he's just a friend."

"So prove her wrong. Go downstairs and be welcoming and gracious to him to prove you're not jealous. Try to become his friend, just like Bella."

"I did try. He told Bella I intimidate him."

"Try again and make sure Bella sees you're making an effort. If James complains again, Bella will know you're doing your best and she'll take up for you."

"Doubtful," I sighed. "She's ignoring me, remember?"

"This is just so wrong," Alice fussed. "Bella's finally reached the half-way point in her pregnancy, she's been feeling so much better, and she's ignoring you. I'm putting a stop to this."

"Ali, as much as you love to tamper with my life, I think this is one time that you shouldn't."

"I'm not going to say anything to Bella, little brother. I'm just going to keep an eye on James and make sure that Bella sees you aren't jealous of him."

"How will you manage that?" I asked, turning away from the window and looking at her.

"I have a plan." Alice got up from the sofa and grabbed my arm, dragging me out of the room. "And it starts with you going downstairs and apologizing to Bella. The first step is to get her happy with you."

As we walked down the stairs, Alice whispered the highlights of her master plan to me. Amazingly enough, most of it sounded like it might actually work. It was all about letting James act the way he normally does, while I stood in the background, letting him out himself.

When we entered the living room, Bella was holding Lily and talking with Rosalie. "Go on," Alice whispered, pushing me toward Bella a little. "She won't bite. I don't think."

"Thanks," I muttered. I took a deep breath and then stepped forward. "Bella, could I talk to you in private for a moment?"

The smile that had been on her face completely disappeared and her tone was cold as she answered me. "I suppose so." She handed Lily to Rose and then followed me outside.

"Bella, I just wanted to apologize. I'm sorry that my concern for you has upset you. I just worry that James has deeper feelings for you and that you'll be upset when you have to set him straight."

She continued to stare off into the trees as we walked along, not looking toward me at all. "You've mentioned that quite a few times, Edward."

"I know. I'm sorry. I should have told you the one time and left it alone. I've just never dealt with this sort of thing before and I wasn't sure how to handle it. When Mike had a crush on you, you saw it and handled it yourself. This time, you just don't seem to see it."

Her jaw tensed the slightest bit. "That's because it's not there."

"I know you believe that. Therefore, I won't say another word about it. And honestly, Bella, I hope that you're right. I want you to be right—so much so that I'm going to try again to be friendly to James."

She turned her head, finally looking at me. Those brown eyes of hers didn't hold nearly the same amount of annoyance for me that they'd had the past couple of days. "You mean that?"

"I wouldn't say it if I didn't, Love."

Bella stopped walking and I stopped with her, waiting to see what she would say or do. She smiled wide and put her arms around my neck, hugging me. "Thank you."

I let out a sigh of relief as I put my own arms around her. I hated for her to ever be upset me with, and having her practically ignore me lately had been excruciating.

"Let's go to our spot for a little while," she suggested, letting go of me and taking my hand into hers.

"Do you need a jacket?" I asked. Spring was here, but it was still a little windy.

"No. The sun is out and more than warm enough," she replied, smiling as we walked along. "I love it here. I hope that when we find our own place, we have a yard like this. Or maybe a park nearby. When are we going to look at more houses with Heidi?"

"I'm not sure. She's waiting for the market to settle down a little so that we'll have more options to see." That wasn't exactly true, but I couldn't tell Bella the real reason for our lapse in house hunting just yet. I needed to get a few more items cleared out of the way first.

"I'd prefer to be moved and settled before the baby comes."

"I want the same thing for you and I'm doing what I can to see that it happens." We reached the little hill that we called our own and I sat down, taking Bella into my lap. We both put our own hands on her stomach as we enjoyed the warm sun.

Awhile later, Bella broke up the silence with her soft voice. "I'm sorry I got so mad at you. It's just…I like having a friend that I can talk books with. I mean, I know I can talk with you, too, but it's different when the person is as enthralled with a subject as you are. Imagine if you got to hang out with Debussy and discuss compositions."

"Just be careful, Bella. That's all I ask," I replied, resting my head on her shoulder. "I love you, and I don't want anything, or anyone, to hurt you."

"I love you, too, you insanely protective man," she chuckled, kissing my forehead. Her laughter turned into a gasp and her brown eyes widened. "What was that?"

"Don't move," I whispered to her. We waited quietly for a few seconds, but nothing happened. "Must have been my hand or—" My explanation was cut off that same subtle movement I'd thought I felt before.

"Edward, did you feel that?" Bella asked in an awed tone. She gasped and then squealed. "It happened again! Just now! I know I didn't imagine _that_."

"No," I laughed. "That's definitely not your imagination. That's our baby kicking you."

"It's so faint," she said, looking down at her stomach and moving her hand around a little. "Do it again, Baby."

"I don't think he can kick on command just yet," I chuckled, kissing the side of her neck.

"Please, Baby? Kick for Mommy and Daddy," Bella pleaded. After a few seconds had passed, she sighed and shook her head. "Guess he's being shy about it now."

I laughed as I lifted my hands up to her shoulders and started to massage them. "He'll kick again. Give him a few more weeks and it'll be much more pronounced. We won't have any trouble knowing we really felt it."

"Your book says we should count his kicks every day at the same time to make sure he's okay. I'm supposed to lay on my back or my side."

"Lay on your side and then I can massage your back for you while we wait for the kicking to start."

Bella moved her hair away from her neck and leaned her head forward just a little. "Can you get my neck on the right side? It's been bugging me since I woke up this morning."

"Now that you're speaking to me again, do you think we can discuss the housing situation?"

"Sure," she sighed, relaxing under my fingers.

"I was thinking that since the crib is already set up in the room across from us, we could hold off on getting a house until after the baby comes. Maybe until he's three or six months old? We just haven't seen a house we really love yet and I don't want us to pick something just because we feel rushed. And by waiting, your parents' house should be sold and we'll have that extra money."

"Well…On one hand, it would be nice to have Esme and Carlisle so close and have that extra help with the baby. On the other, I don't really like the idea of turning their room into a nursery. What are they going to do with it when we move?"

"It'll be his room whenever we visit. And whenever my parents babysit for us. We'll take the crib you picked out with us and put a regular crib in there for when he stays over with his grandparents."

Bella sat up straight and turned her head, kissing me on the lips. "I like that idea."

"So you don't mind waiting then?"

"As long as Carlisle and Esme don't mind, I'm fine with it."

"We'll speak with them later on tonight and find out." My phone started ringing and I pulled it out, seeing Alice's name flash across the front. "Yes, Alice?"

"Where are you two?" she asked. "The birthday boy is ready for his cake. And James has arrived."

"We'll be there in a minute," I told her. "We were just discussing a few things."

"Don't tell her about the baby moving yet," Bella whispered. "Let's surprise her when we get back."

I smiled and nodded for Bella. "Anything else, Alice?"

"Nope. Just hurry up," she chirped.

I put the phone away and wrapped my arms around Bella. "Your brother is ready for his cake."

"I don't want to leave just yet," she sighed, resting her head against my cheek. "Just hold me for a few more minutes."

"I can certainly do that."

Bella closed her eyes as she smiled, tilting her face toward the sun just a little. She looked divine with her hair shining in the sunlight and her hands resting on her round belly.

"I love you," I whispered into her ear.

Her smile widened. "Love you more."

A few minutes later, I found myself trying not to laugh as I roused Bella. She'd managed to fall completely asleep in my arms and was even snoring a little. "Love, your brother is going to be awfully disappointed if you sleep through his birthday. Besides, you don't have any sunscreen on so you can't stay out here forever."

She stretched her arms and yawned loudly. "But I like it right here, with just you and me."

"We'll come back later after the party's over," I assured her.

"Fine," she groaned. "Let's get back to the house."

I got us both on our feet and we took our time walking back, just holding hands and enjoying the peacefulness of it. "We have Emmett's birthday today and Alice's next month."

"Then your birthday the month after, and two months after that, our baby will be here with us," Bella added, smiling wide as she rubbed her stomach.

We entered the house and Alice immediately stole Bella from me, taking her upstairs to change.

I started working on Alice's plan and walked over to James. He was standing by himself near the front door, his eyes trained on the staircase that Alice and Bella had just walked up. I pushed aside the annoyance I was feeling and smiled at him. "Hello, James. Glad that you could make it," I said, holding my hand out toward him.

He looked at my hand for a split second before looking at the stairs again. "Where's Bella?"

"She's with my sister. She should be back down soon," I replied.

"Eee," Lily yelled out as she bumped into my legs.

I smiled as I leaned down and scooped her up into my arms. "Hello, Lily Bear," I chuckled, kissing her cheek.

I set her in the crook of my arm as she spoke to me in her own little language. The only words I understood were "love" and "Eee". Suddenly, she leaned forward and gave me a sloppy kiss on the nose. I laughed and she giggled along with me.

"James, this is my niece, Lily. She's the daughter of Bella's brother, Emmett, and his wife, Rosalie," I said, pointing them both out for him.

"_That's_ Bella's brother?" James asked, turning white as he took in the sight of Emmett flexing his arm for Jasper. It seemed they'd just finished their game and Emmet was enjoying his victory.

The childish part of me took over, enjoying seeing James scared. "Emmett, come here for a second. There's someone I want you to meet," I said.

"Da-dee," Lily sang, waving at him.

"What's up, Princess?" Emmett asked, clapping his hands together and then holding them open for Lily.

Lily leaned her whole body forward, tossing herself into Emmett's big hands. He lifted her up high above his head, making her giggle, and then dropped her safely into the crook of his arm as he placed a loud kiss on her cheek.

"Emmett, this is Bella's student and friend, James," I introduced.

Emmett stuck out his hand and James tentatively grabbed it. I smiled as the tendons in Emmett's forearm and wrist tensed, knowing he was squeezing James's hand as hard as he could. "James, nice to meet you," Emmett said, making his voice sound gruff. "I'll give you the same warning I give to anyone who comes near my sister…Make her cry and you'll wish you were never born."

Emmett quickly let go of James just as Lily started to take a nose-dive toward me. Emmett and I both laughed as we kept her from falling, and I took a giggling Lily back into my arms.

"Lily Bear, what are you doing to your daddy and uncle?" my mother cooed, appearing beside us.

Lily's eyebrows drew down and her little lips pulled into a determined line. She opened her mouth and practically yelled the word at my mother. "Ma-gaw." Lily immediately smiled and clapped her hands together, proud of her accomplishment.

"What was that?" Emmett asked, scratching the back of his head.

"It was grandma backwards and in baby speech," my mother chuckled, taking Lily into her arms.

"Mom, this is James," I said. "James, this is my mother, Esme."

"It's nice to meet you, James. I'd offer to shake your hand, but as you can see, I have my hands full," she laughed as Lily wiggled in her arms.

"Edward!" Bella called out, sounding very excited. "Look what Alice got me!"

I turned to see her coming down the last few steps, holding onto my sister's arm. Bella was still wearing the jeans she'd had on earlier, but now she had a gray t-shirt on. I read the printing on her shirt and started laughing as I walked over to her.

"Very fitting," I chuckled, wrapping my arms around her.

"I thought so too," she giggled, hugging me back.

"I couldn't resist," Alice chirped.

"Let me see," Emmett demanded, tapping my arm.

I moved to the side, but didn't let go of Bella—she didn't let go of me either and I was happy to see that.

"'Property of my little boy, XY'," Emmett read. "What's the XY thing? Since when is that a size?"

"It's the chromosome initials for a boy," Jasper chuckled.

Alice leaned down and pressed her cheek to Bella's belly. "Don't worry, Baby. We aren't all as silly as your Uncle Emmett."

"Oh, yeah?" Emmett said, pushing Alice out of the way. He squatted down so that his face was even with my wife's stomach. "Little Man, let me be the first to warn you…The pixie is evil. E-V-I-L. Remember that."

"Stop telling my baby mean things about each other," Bella demanded, covering her belly with her arms. "He can hear you now that I'm twenty weeks."

"We know," Emmett and Alice laughed. "We're only kidding, Squirt," Emmett added.

"With all the fluid around him, I don't think he can hear actual words, just tones of voice," James piped up. "As long as they say it nicely, he won't know the difference. And even after he's born, it'll be almost a year before he starts to really understand the words have meanings."

"And you know so much about babies because?" Rose asked, folding her arms and glaring at James just a little. Rose was the only one who believed me about James and his intentions.

"My sister is pregnant and has me reading her book with her," James replied.

"How far along is she?" Rose questioned.

"Um…thirty-eight weeks," he said.

"And she took a car trip to Minnesota? Is she nuts?" Rose asked, her voice rising slightly. "That's way too close to delivery to be taking a long trip in a car."

"Did I say car trip? I meant flight. They flew over. It's just a couple of hours," James said.

"They couldn't have flown," Bella said, her eyebrows drawing down, just like her lips. "Doctors don't let you get on the plane that late into your pregnancy. The pressure changes could send you into labor."

"Well, she got some note from him or something since it was just going to be for a few days," James replied.

"She should find a new doctor," my father said, having entered the room at some point. "It's extremely dangerous to allow that sort of thing, both for the baby and the mother."

James shrugged his shoulders. "She did this with her last kid, so it's no big deal."

"You never mentioned she had a child already," Bella said.

"Well, no…I didn't." James pushed his glassed up his nose, looking nervous—well, at least he looked that way to me.

"Is it a boy or a girl? How old is he or she?" Alice asked.

"I don't know," James replied. "She was younger then, so my sister gave it up for adoption. Now that she's married, she wanted to have a baby."

Emmett kicked my foot with his and I looked up at him, shocked to find him seething. "I think now would be a great time to start the party for the birthday boy. If we bore him any longer with baby talk, he's liable to start pouting," I announced.

"Cake!" Emmett said, acting cheery. "Let's go get it and bring it into the dining room."

"Jazz, you better come help me keep him from eating it," I chuckled. I kissed Bella's temple and then let her go, not happy with the creased lines across her forehead.

As soon as we were in the kitchen with the door closed, Emmett let loose with a litany of curse words as he paced around the kitchen island. He came to an abrupt stop and the chords stood out in his neck as he took in a deep breathe. "That bastard is lying to my sister," he ground out from between his clenched teeth.

"I don't know if he is or not, but I've doubted for some time that he actually had a sister," I told him.

"He was definitely nervous and scared," Jasper said. "Did you see the way his eyes kept darting around the room?"

"Yeah, except for when he looked at my sister and was all goofy eyed," Emmett huffed.

"At least I know I'm not just reading into things," I sighed, sitting down at the table.

"We're sorry, man," Emmett said, putting his hand on my shoulder. "We should have given you the benefit of the doubt and taken a look at this clown sooner."

"Sorry, Edward. Even Alice thought you were just overreacting this time," Jasper told me.

"I know. And I know it's my own fault you guys thought that. At least you see what I see now," I replied.

"Bella knows something is off. That's good, too," Jasper added.

"Yeah, but he'll explain it away like he always does," I sighed. "It's how things have been going for the last month. I almost catch him in a lie, he explains it away, and then Bella fusses me for 'interrogating' him."

"Well, this happy crappy ends right the hell here," Emmett growled. "No one screws with my sister and her marriage and gets away with it."

"You can't just go out there and pummel him," Jasper said, putting his hand on Emmett's arm. "This is going to take finesse on our part. Bella wants to believe this guy is legit so we have to let him keep sticking his foot in his mouth until she sees for herself that he's full of hot air."

"So how do we do that?" Emmett asked.

"Alice has a plan," I announced. They looked at each other, exchanging smiles, before sitting down at the table with me. "So here's how it works…"

* * *

Uh, oh! James has Emmett's attention and that's not a good thing for our young nerd. Hope he has some sort of sense of self preservation or can at least run really, really fast. We'll find out next weekend!

George, this chapter gave us both hell, but I think it came out great in the end! Thanks for all the help!


	23. Emmett's Party2

**A/N:** Before we begin today's chapter, I have just a few little things...

1) Reading and replying to my reviews has always been pretty fun for me. I've been lucky not to have too many that were out and out cruel. Most times, I'm cracking up at theories and offers to take Edward off Bella's hands - **Knox** & **Bulls**, I'm picking on you too today. And then there are the ones I find downright funny for no particular reason. This last round of reviews, left me feeling the need to quote **twilight-is-lovee** = James is a Human Tracker. LOL!!

2) I know all of you are concerned that this has not been the Bella of LLC. I know it hasn't and that was on purpose. Because between this chapter and the next, my plan is to bring her full circle and not only have her get back to the Bella of LLC, but have her be the mother she in the final chapters. I've never tried anything like this before and I hope I pull it off in a way that satisfies you all. If not, I promise to stick with the fluff and leave the drama for others. LOL!

3) If I've done a good job and you guys like how this chapter goes, I will post the other today instead of tomorrow, but that will mean there won't be a Sunday update. The next update will be next weekend. And for those of you who want to see Emmett and James have a private convo, don't give up hope. It's going to come, but it won't be this weekends chapters or next weekends. I've got it outlined out and it's six chapters away, with this one included. I have a lot of mess to clean before I can let Em tell me about his talk.

Okay! That's it! Go read!!

* * *

**DISCLAIMER:** The characters do not belong to me…they are all the creation of the wonderful Stephenie Meyer.

**Emmett's Party 2**

**Bella's POV**

"And you know so much about babies because?" Rose asked, sounding angry. She seemed to agree with Edward's crazy idea that James was in love with me.

James gave a shy smile as he looked at my sister-in-law. "My sister is pregnant and has me reading her book with her."

"How far along is she?" Rose questioned.

"Um…thirty-eight weeks," he said.

"And she took a car trip to Minnesota? Is she nuts?" Rose asked, her voice rising slightly. I didn't like the idea any better. If I'd have known she was so far along, I would have told him how dangerous that was for his sister. "That's way too close to delivery to be taking a long trip in a car," Rose told him.

"Did I say car trip? I meant flight. They flew over. It's just a couple of hours," James said.

That didn't make sense. No doctor in his right mind would let a pregnant woman fly, no matter how short the flight. "They couldn't have flown," I blurted out, hoping James was just confused from being nervous around my family. "Doctors don't let you get on the plane that late into your pregnancy. The pressure changes could send you into labor."

"Well, she got some note from him or something since it was just going to be for a few days," James replied.

"She should find a new doctor," Carlisle said from his spot beside Esme. "It's extremely dangerous to allow that sort of thing, both for the baby and the mother."

"She did this with her last kid, so it's no big deal," James replied, shrugging his shoulders.

Why was he acting so casual? When he'd spoken about his sister before, he sounded like he was really involved in her life and cared for her a lot. So how could he just shrug about her doing something so dangerous? And why had he never mentioned already having a niece or nephew? I'd talked about Lily tons of times already. So I decided to see what he would say. "You never mentioned she had a child already," I told him.

"Well, no…I didn't." He shifted his feet and pushed his glasses up his nose. Why was he acting so nervous? It couldn't be my family. They were all acting so welcoming, even Edward.

"Is it a boy or a girl? How old is he or she?" Alice asked.

"I don't know," James replied. "She was younger then, so my sister gave it up for adoption. Now that she's married, she wanted to have a baby."

I couldn't help the frown that took over my face. This didn't make sense at all. Why had James never mentioned these things before? Was he ashamed of his sister's first pregnancy? Or was it just his shyness that had kept him quiet?

"I think now would be a great time to start the party for the birthday boy. If we bore him any longer with baby talk, he's liable to start pouting," Edward said suddenly.

"Cake!" Emmett yelled excitedly, making me smile just a little. "Let's go get it and bring it into the dining room."

"Jazz, you better come help me keep him from eating it," Edward chuckled. He kissed the side of my head and then took his arms away, heading for the kitchen with Em and Jazz.

"I'm sorry, James, but I have to ask. Why haven't you ever mentioned these things about your sister before?" I questioned.

He blinked a few times and then looked from Alice to Rose, and finally back at me. "It just didn't come up," he replied.

"That's not true, James," I told him. "I asked you if this was your sister's first pregnancy and you told me it was."

"Well, that's because it is to her. She doesn't like to think about the baby she gave up for adoption," he said.

"Why not?" Alice asked. "She obviously cared for the baby if she decided to have it and give it up for adoption. She must have wanted it to have a better life."

"I don't know," he said, sounding defensive. "She just doesn't."

Rose and Alice each took a step closer to me and for once, I didn't feel like they were overreacting. Something was very wrong here. "James, what's going on? Are you just nervous or something?" I asked.

"Yes," he replied immediately. "Your husband is always trying to make me feel like I'm intruding. And that brother of yours tried to break my hand earlier and threatened me."

"I know for a fact that Edward greeted you with kindness and politeness," Rose said. "I was standing nearby since my daughter had gone over to him."

"And Emmett just has an odd way of welcoming people," I added. "My brother's really sweet once you get to know him."

James shook his head, pushing on his glasses once again. "You didn't see the way they were looking at me."

"What way was that, James?" Esme asked. "I must have missed that look when I was standing right beside the three of you."

"Bella, why is your family attacking me?" he asked, looking at me sadly.

"They're not," I defended. "They're just curious about the friend I invited over. Why are you acting so scared of them?"

"Because they're scary," he replied. "Look, this was a really bad idea. I think I should just go. My sister's not home, so I can have her house to myself."

I sighed, not wanting him to be home all alone on a Saturday. I remembered all too well how lonely my days were before Emmett's friends came crashing into my life, completely turning my world upside down and setting it right. If they hadn't decided to take a chance on me and get to know me, I wouldn't have this amazing family or my wonderful husband. And looking at James, I felt like it was my chance to give back some of that wonderful Karma and make my parents proud.

"No, James, please stay," I said. "I'm sorry you felt uncomfortable with the questions. My family really is just curious. And your sister traveling just threw them off because it's dangerous."

"My sister is stubborn and she doesn't really listen to people. The more you tell her not to do something, the more she wants to do it," he said. "I get a little defensive of her sometimes, and I guess that just came out the wrong way."

I smiled and patted his shoulder. "It's okay. I've been known to be a little stubborn myself." As much as I hated to admit it, James was acting strange. I would just have to make sure the line of our friendship was clearly drawn…and maybe a little extra space between us for awhile wouldn't hurt either. I didn't want James to get any wrong ideas about me—I was only trying to be his friend.

"Bee-bee," Lily sang, reaching her little arms out to me from her spot in her grandpa's arms.

I happily took her, cuddling her close. "James, did you meet Lily earlier?"

"Yes, I did. She's beautiful," he said, reaching his hand out toward her.

Lily whined and tucked her body against my right side, moving away from James.

"It's okay, Sweetheart," I cooed. "James is Aunt Bella's friend."

Lily just made a disgruntled noise and turned her face away from James, resting her head on my shoulder.

"I guess she's feeling shy today, too," I said. But I wasn't so sure about that—I'd never seen Lily shy away from anyone.

Edward appeared and wrapped his arms around me from behind, resting one of his hands over our baby. "A few more weeks and this belly of yours will start to be too wide for you hold Lily like that," he whispered.

"That's exactly why I'm cuddling with her so much now," I said, tickling Lily's chin and getting her to giggle at me.

"She loves her Bee-bee and Eee," Rose chuckled. "And since you two are so loved, I just know you'll jump at the chance to baby-sit for her this Friday night."

"Ooh, Edward! We get to have Lily all to ourselves," I said, already excited over the things I was thinking of doing with my little niece. "Rose, let her spend the night with us, too."

"I don't know, Squirt," Emmett said, shaking his head. "You sure you have enough energy for that? Lily's into everything now that she's mastered walking."

"She's pregnant, not an invalid," James piped up.

"Thank you, James," I chuckled. "But that's just how Em teases. He doesn't mean anything by it."

"Why don't we all head into the dining room before it catches fire from the candles on Emmett's cake?" Edward suggested.

"Lily, are you going to help Daddy blow out his candles?" I asked her as Edward walked with us toward the dining room.

"You have to blow really hard," Edward told her, taking her offered hand and kissing the back of it. "Think you can do that?"

"Show her how, Edward. She probably doesn't remember from her birthday," I told him.

Edward took Lily into his arms and pointed at the cake. "Just open your mouth and go like this." He demonstrated for her, gently blowing her hair away from her forehead.

Lily giggled and smacked her hand where Edward's breath had touched her head. She smiled at him and blew back, getting baby spittle on his cheek and nose.

"Good thing you closed your eyes," I chuckled, poking him in the side.

"You teach her next time," he said, smiling as he wiped his face with the sleeve of his shirt.

"No way. You're the tutor-boy," I told him.

"Give me my girl," Emmett demanded, holding his arms open. Edward chuckled at him as he passed Lily over.

"Bella, I pulled your chair out for you," James said, standing behind the chair right next to me.

"Thanks, James," I replied. "But I'm going to sit with Edward." I'd barely gotten the words out before Edward scooped me up and sat me down on his lap. I playfully slapped his chest and then kissed his lips to show I wasn't upset. "I love you."

"Love you more," he whispered against my neck, placing a few soft open-mouthed kisses there.

"You two behave over there," Alice chuckled.

"Hush, Pixie," I joked, smiling at her as I pulled Edward's arms around me.

"All eyes on me please," Emmett announced, holding Lily in his arms so that they were both facing his cake. "Squirt, will you do the honors?"

I nodded my head as my smile widened and the room fell quiet. I took a deep breath and then softly sang to my big brother. "Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday, dear Emmett. We all love you."

The noise in the room erupted all at once, with cheers and claps. Edward kissed my cheek and whispered into my ear. "You have an angel's voice, Love. I'm glad you felt up to singing for him."

"It was a short song," I shrugged.

"Thank you, Squirt," Emmett said, leaning over and kissing my cheek.

"Welcome, Brother Bear," I replied, kissing him back.

"I didn't know you could sing like that," James said, sounding awed.

I laughed as I turned in Edward's lap to see James. "My family seems to think I do a pretty good job. I haven't felt like I've had enough breath to sing lately, so it just didn't occur to me to mention it."

"Speaking of mentioning," Alice chirped, tapping her fork against her glass. "Em, far be it from me to steal your spotlight, but I really can't wait until my birthday next month to mention it."

"Steal away, Pixie. I don't mind sharing," Emmett said, smiling at her.

"That's only because you have your cake in front of you," Jasper chuckled.

"Don't mind the details, Jazz," Emmett replied, grinning wide.

"What's your news, Alice?" Esme asked.

"Mom, Dad, I hope you'll be as excited about this as Jazz and I are. We certainly don't want you guys to feel overwhelmed or anything," Alice said, shifting from one foot to the other.

"Did you get another promotion?" Carlisle asked Jasper.

"Oh, no! Don't tell me you have one where you have to move away," Esme cried, putting her hand over her heart.

"No, no," Alice said, shaking her hand. "It's nothing like that. It's just…Well…"

"Alice, how can you be nervous?" Jasper laughed. "You've been practicing telling them for the past three days."

"It's a lot of pressure to announce something like this, Jasper Hale. I'd like to see you do a better job with it," Alice fussed, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

Rose's eyes must have been drawn to the same thing that mine were because we both yelled at the same time. "Since when?"

"Two months," Alice giggled, holding up two fingers.

"Clue the rest of us in," Emmett demanded.

Alice's smile widened even further. "I'm pregnant."

Edward put me on my feet and we all surrounded Jasper and Alice, hugging them and congratulating them.

"How did you two guess?" Alice asked, looking between Rose and me.

Rose shrugged and smiled wickedly. "You're getting boobs, Pixie."

"What she said," I laughed.

"I know!" Alice cried. "It's so exciting. And of course, it means I need new _everything_, so there's lots of shopping in our immediate future."

"And by our you mean…" I trailed off, hoping I was wrong.

Alice pointed to herself, Esme, Rose, and then finally to me. "_Our_."

"See, Alice, you were nervous for nothing," Rose said, hugging her. "You were already pregnant and just didn't know it."

"I know," Alice giggled. "It's amazing! Well, Jasper hasn't been all that thrilled with how quickly my emotions change, but he's trying."

"Have you started with your cravings yet? What about morning sickness?" I asked.

"No morning sickness at all so far," she replied.

"You lucky little pixie," I said, playfully slapping her arm.

"And I'm not so much craving as just wanting weird things to eat," Alice chuckled. "Like last month when I had to have part of your mustard covered pretzel at the salon."

"A grandmother of three," Esme sighed, wrapping her arms around Alice. "We are truly blessed."

"So you're happy, Mom?" Alice asked, looking up at her mother with watery eyes.

"I'm ecstatic, my lovely daughter," Esme assured her, kissing her cheek.

"Can I have a turn?" Edward asked, showing off his crooked grin and dimples. He opened his arms for his sister and Alice started to cry as he hugged her. "I remember this stage," he joked, smiling at her.

Alice sniffled and then laughed. "Sorry."

Edward wiped away her tears, still smiling at her. "Congratulations, Ali."

Watching the two of them together made Rose and me start crying as well. Emmett and Lily gave Rose a hug, while Jasper put his arm around my shoulders, letting me cry into his shoulder.

"I've never had my house so weepy before," Carlisle chuckled.

"You've never had four mothers in it before," Esme sniffled, dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief. "Our babies are all grown and having their own babies."

"This is a party, not a crying session," Emmett announced. "Let's have some of my cake. The chocolate will perk you lovely ladies right up."

We all chuckled at him as we let go of each other and took our seats again. I perched myself right back on Edward's lap, wanting to be close to him. It had been almost unbearable to have that space between us these last two weeks, but I'd needed for him to understand he was wrong about James. And after the talk we'd had earlier, I knew that Edward would keep his word and give James a chance, which is all I'd wanted from him to start with. While I still considered Edward to be my best friend, there were just some things he didn't understand and that I couldn't talk to him about. Not unless I wanted to hear his standby answer of "it's for the baby".

"Bella, would you like some cake?" James asked, offering me a plate.

"I got it, buddy," Emmett said, holding out another plate to me. "She likes the flower best. It's the only reason I even let them put one on my cakes."

"Thank you, Em," I said, taking the plate from him. "And thank you, James," I added.

Edward's lips pulled up into my favorite grin as he took hold of my plate for me. "Will you share with me?"

"I might think about it," I chuckled, cutting a piece with my fork.

"Please?" he begged, poking out his bottom lip and making his green eyes look sad.

"Oh, alright," I sighed, pretending to be annoyed. The smile on my face easily gave me away, though. I held the fork out for Edward to take a bite and when he got close to it, I pulled it away and laughed. "Not going to be that easy, Tutor-boy."

He pouted for real, so I was nice and fed him the bite. Some of the icing ended up on his lip—that might have been slightly on purpose, but I wasn't telling—so I was nice enough to kiss it away for him.

"No monkey business in front of the Lily Bear," Emmett said, shaking a finger at us.

"She's not even paying attention to us," I told him. "Her eyes are locked on Uncle Jasper and the slice of cake he's feeding her."

"She could have been watching," Emmett argued.

"But she wasn't," I said, poking my tongue at my brother.

"Eat your cake and be quiet, Squirt," Emmett chuckled.

After we'd all gotten a slice of Emmett's cake—and Alice had enjoyed seconds—we all headed our separate ways. Rose went upstairs to put Lily down for her nap, while Esme and Alice went upstairs to look at the baby items Esme kept in her hope chest. Emmett, Edward, and Jasper headed into the kitchen to wash the dishes, and Carlisle disappeared into his study. James followed me into the living room, still feeling too shy to go with the men.

I sat down in the loveseat and put my feet up on the table, groaning a little from the change in pressure. I kicked off my sneakers and then wiggled my sock-clad feet, happy to be resting them.

James sat down on the edge of the table and grabbed my foot, rubbing the underside for me. "My sister has me do this for her at least twice a day," he said.

I pulled my foot away, giving him a friendly smile even though I felt more like kicking him. "Edward enjoys doing that for me," I said.

"Oh, okay. I just was trying to help," James replied, frowning as he pushed his glasses up his nose.

"Squirt, tell your husband that Disturbed is the greatest alternative band ever," Emmett yelled out from the kitchen.

"Tell him yourself," I yelled back, laughing a little. Emmett, Jasper, and Edward could barely go any amount of time without finding something to argue about, and today, I was thankful for the distraction.

"Why does he keep calling you that?" James asked.

"It's the nickname he gave me when I was just a kid," I explained. "He'll probably always call me that."

"It's rather derogatory," James said.

"Only if he meant it in a mean way, which he doesn't," I replied.

"It just seems like the men in your family treat you as though you were still a little kid and not an adult just like them," he continued.

"I don't agree with that at all," I argued, my temper starting to rise a little. I took a deep breath, trying to be conscious of my blood pressure. "I think they treat me like someone they care a great deal for and would go out of their way to protect."

"Bella," James said, taking my hand.

I didn't like his tone or the way he was holding my hand. "James?"

"I know my timing is off. It's so much easier for you to be yourself away from all of them. I really should wait until we're alone at school on Monday, but I need to tell you too much to put it off any longer."

"James, let go of my hand," I said, trying to pull it back.

He tightened his grip on it instead of letting go. "Bella, let me help you. Let me love you. I can get you away from them so that you can be yourself and really be happy. You won't have all of them telling you what to do, what to eat, and when to do it. And I can raise this baby with you. I'll treat him as my own and everything."

"James, stop right there. I love my husband and my family. I don't know how, but you've gotten the wrong idea about them, because I never want to leave and I'm already happy with them."

"How can _he_ possibly make you happy? He doesn't even realize how capable you are! He's stunting you with his barbaric behavior, Bella. He's always trying to tell you what to do."

"And Edward's usually right!" I yelled, finally getting my hand away from James. I was going to have a lot of apologizing to do to my husband before this day ended, but I couldn't think about that right now. No, right now, I had a fly to swat. "James, it's time for you to leave."

"You don't really mean that."

"I do. Leave now, James. Don't make me call for Edward or Emmett."

"You don't really love him. You can't," James argued, shaking his head. "You could never love someone so controlling."

Edward was a lot of things, but controlling wasn't one of them. Yes, he was protective, but that had more to do with me proving I needed protection than with him just naturally being that way. I tried to keep my temper, not knowing if I was angrier at James for getting the wrong idea or at myself for completely missing it.

"Remember the day I slipped and fell, when you caught me?" I asked. "That never would have happened if I'd listened to Edward and waited for him to come and get me. Walking with Edward, he would've either seen the ice patch and moved me out of the way, or he would have been holding on tight enough that I never would have lost my footing. No matter how clumsy I get, Edward's always there to make sure I don't fall. It's only when I go off alone and head-strong that something happens." The more I spoke, the truer the words sounded and the deeper they sank into my heart. "Edward's not controlling, James. He's in love with me and refuses to risk losing me. Now, I really think you should go." I got up and moved toward the stairs, needing to find Rose and Alice before I spoke with Edward.

"Bella, I can love you better than he can," James said, his voice stopping me at the foot of the stairs.

I took a deep breath and started to climb, not having the patience to reply to that statement without yelling at the idiot. I needed to talk with my sisters and get some clarity on this situation. Then, I would have to talk to Edward. Once that was done, _we_ would have to sit down with James and clear up this whole ugly mess.

I followed the sounds of laughter and found Esme, Alice, and Rosalie spread out on the floor, looking through Alice's baby book.

"You really should let your hair grow out, Alice," Rose told her. "You looked adorable with those long, curly pigtails."

"I got tired of the boys putting gum in my hair so I made my mom take me to the salon to get it all cut away," Alice said.

"I cried," Esme giggled. "All of those beautiful curls gone in just a few snips."

"What's got you looking so down?" Rose asked me, patting the spot of floor next to her. She and Esme took hold of my hands, helping me down.

"I'm in big trouble," I sighed, resting my head on Rose's shoulder.

"What happened?" Alice asked, holding one of my hands.

"Basically, I was just asked to run away from my husband and family to live out my real life with James. Apparently, I don't seem happy and Edward is barbaric," I explained. No sooner were the words out of my mouth than the enormity of how badly I'd misjudged things hit me, quickly followed by my tears and sobs.

Rose, Esme, and Alice found a way to all hug me at the same time while they tried to console me, telling me it wasn't my fault. But how could it not be? I'd wanted a friend outside of my family so I'd ignored everything I didn't want to see. And now that my eyes were open, I could pick out all the ways in which James's behavior should have set me on edge. There were a lot of odd answers and unanswered questions.

"I know it's stupid," I sniffled, brushing away my tears with the back of my hand. "I don't even know why now, but I wanted a friend outside of you guys. That was a silly thing to want because nobody understands me better than all of you."

"It might have had something to do with the way we've all been babying you," Rose said, tucking some of my hair behind my ear. "I'm sure it was nice to have someone treating you like a normal person instead of a frail pregnant woman."

I nodded my head, sniffling once again. "That was nice." And then I thought about Edward and how I'd been so angry with him and I started crying all over again. "I was so mean to Edward. I didn't even believe him."

"Calm down, Bella. It's all going to be okay," Esme assured me.

"He's going to be so mad," I sobbed.

"No, Sweetie," Alice said, using a washcloth to try to dry my face. I had no idea where she'd gotten it from, but the cool fabric felt wonderful on my overheated skin. "Even I didn't believe Edward this time," she continued. "And he'll only be upset that you're upset. He was trying to stop it from getting to this point so you wouldn't feel guilty for James's misplaced feelings."

"Woah!" Emmett chuckled, bounding into the room. "Is this another of those hormone-induced crying jag things?"

"No, this is a your little sister is hurting and your jokes are not funny thing," Rose snapped.

"Bella?" Emmett asked, kneeling down beside me. "Are you okay? How'd you get hurt?"

"It's just her feelings this time," Esme said, stroking my arm. "She'll be fine once she calms down."

"Want me to go get Eddie?" Emmett asked, brushing my hair with his big hand.

I nodded my head and then closed my eyes, leaning on Rose as the tears started up once again.

Emmett pressed his lips to my forehead. "I'll be right back, Squirt. You just relax with Rosie."

"Pregnancy hormones suck," Alice announced loudly. Something about the way she'd said it made me laugh and I opened my eyes to find her. "No offense, Bells, but I really don't want to cry as hard as you," she continued. "Puffy eyes never were a good look on me."

I laughed again and took the washcloth from her, cleaning up my own face. "Keep on making the jokes, Pixie," I sniffled. "And then when you develop all day morning sickness, you'll know it was my curse that did it."

"Let's get you on your feet," Rose said. "That way, when Edward arrives, you guys can go up to your room and talk."

"I'm sorry. I'm ruining Emmett's party," I sighed, as Rose and Esme got me standing.

Rose shrugged. "He had cake. He's fine."

"And we'll just consider this intermission," Alice chirped. "You'll go talk with my brother and then we'll all meet up in the living room after."

"Talk to me about what?" a velvet voice asked from behind us.

I turned and smiled at him just as his own smile faded into a look of concern. He quickly crossed the short distance between us and took me into his arms. "What's wrong, Bella? You look like you've been crying."

"Em didn't tell you?" I whispered.

"No. He just told me you wanted me to come upstairs," Edward replied.

"Take her up to your room," Alice instructed. "We'll be downstairs when you guys are ready to join us again."

Each of the women in my life kissed my cheek on the way out, whispering words of encouragement to me. I smiled at them, knowing I was lucky to have such an amazing support system.

Edward and I walked up the stairs to our room, neither of us saying a word. The closer I got to our bedroom door, the more upset I felt and the harder I tried not to cry. This would be hard enough without being a sobbing mess on top of things. I could only hope Edward would be willing to listen and understand—something I hadn't been able to do for him.


	24. Making Up

* * *

**DISCLAIMER:** The characters do not belong to me…they are all the creation of the wonderful Stephenie Meyer.

**Making Up (Warning: Lemon toward the end)**

**Bella's POV**

Edward sat me down on the sofa and then sat next to me, holding my hands. "Tell me what has you so upset, Love." His tender words and his calm behavior just made me feel like an even bigger jerk for the way I'd been acting with him.

"I'm sorry," I sobbed, falling into his chest and trying to hide there.

"Calm down, Bella," he said softly, running his hands over my hair and down my arm. "Whatever's wrong, we'll fix it together. Just calm down so you can tell me about it."

I still had the towel Alice had given me in my hands, so I used it to dry my face the best I could—the poor washcloth had become soaked from my tears. I took in a shuddering breath and forced myself to meet those green eyes of his. "I was wrong…about James…about everything," I said, pausing to breathe and keep myself from crying.

"What happened?" Edward asked, moving me so that I was on his lap and in his arms.

Just the way he'd said it, let me know that he really had been worried about this exact moment and it wasn't jealousy he'd been feeling. That did _not_ help my emotional state at all and I had to bite my lip to keep from crying out—I just felt so horrible.

"Please, Bella. Talk to me," he pleaded, rocking me gently.

"He wanted me to leave you for him. He thought you and the others were treating me like a kid and keeping me from being happy. Edward, I don't know why he thought that. I've never said anything like that about you, or anybody in our family. Not even when I was mad at you."

"I think James just convinced himself that you weren't happy to justify pursuing you."

"You were right and now I feel so horrible and I don't know what to do about any of it," I said in a rush, hoping that saying it quicker would somehow make it hurt less.

"If it helps at all, I don't want to be right. I don't want you to be hurting like this, Bella."

"And that's the worst part of all," I cried, turning my face into his shirt. This time, there was no stopping the tears and sobs and I would just have to wait until I cried them all out.

Edward continued to rock me as he hummed my lullaby again and again. I never really calmed down—I just sort of went numb. One minute, I was crying and drenching Edward's shirt, and the next, I was leaning against him and staring out of the windows. I stayed there so long that I got to see the sun sink behind the trees and the stars come out overhead.

I closed my eyes for just a second and when I opened them, I was alone in the bed. The room was illuminated by the light spilling out of the crack in the bathroom doorway. I knew from the silence in the room that Edward wasn't in our room.

I pushed the covers back, surprised to find that I was just in the t-shirt Alice had given me and my socks. Edward must have undressed me to make me more comfortable; I'd have left me to be as physically miserable as I was emotionally. I deserved it.

Thinking back over the last few months, I could see what had happened so much easier. This time last year, I'd have spotted James coming from a mile away. All of those oddities I'd chocked up to his shyness would have been huge red flags waving in the wind. But I'd gotten distracted by all the things going on and I'd been searching for some sign of normalcy so hard that it had made me blind.

I used to be independent and intuitive, and full of energy. Now, I lived pretty much the same day over and over. I got up early, had my blood pressure and pulse taken, was given a healthy breakfast I had very little say in, went to work, had lunch, went back to work, came home to work some more, got my blood pressure and pulse taken again, had a dinner I also had no say-so in, and before I could do anything I actually wanted to do, I was asleep. I knew these things were important and that they were for the baby, but I felt like since this pregnancy had started, I had stopped existing. I wasn't Bella. I was just the incubator for the baby. And I knew it was absurd to feel that way, so I hadn't bothered telling anyone about it—especially not after I'd tried with Edward a few times only to be told "it's for the baby". So I'd latched onto the normalcy of being around James and that hour or two a day where I could pretend I was my old self…And I'd been absurdly selfish in my actions.

I didn't want to spend anymore time wallowing in my misery. I had more important things to do—like makeup for my idiotic behavior with my husband. I dragged myself into the closet and found a pair of pajama pants to toss on. I briefly thought about going into the bathroom to brush my hair, but decided against it—I had the feeling that looking at my bird's nest was going to make me start crying again.

I carefully made my way down the stairs, listening to the sounds in the house. I could pick out Emmett's booming laugh easily, but I could also hear Lily's much softer giggles. I made it to the bottom of the steps and had to laugh at the sight before me.

Edward was lying on his back on the floor with Lily sitting on his chest. She had a pillow in her hands and she was bopping him in the face with it and giggling so hard that she was red-faced. Emmett and Jasper were at Edward's sides, encouraging Lily to keep hitting Edward. And my Edward was being the best uncle in the world, pretending he was terrified of the little curly haired girl sitting on him.

"Bend your elbow more," Jasper instructed.

"Lift the pillow all the way up before you smack him," Emmett encouraged.

"Oh, no!" Edward cried through his laughter. "She's going to hit me again. Emmett, help me. Uncle Jazz, don't let her beat me up."

"Get him, Lily," Jasper chuckled.

"Right in the middle of that big forehead of his," Emmett added.

Lily giggled happily as she bopped Edward once again.

"They've been at it for twenty minutes," Alice announced, popping up next to me.

"It's past her bedtime, but I don't have the heart to break them up," Rose chuckled, putting an arm around my shoulders.

"He looks so happy," I said, my voice wavering as I fought to keep my tears inside. "After what I've put him through, how can he be that happy?"

"Silly Bella," Alice sighed, leaning her head on my shoulder. "You're still here with him, still completely in love with him. How could he not be happy?"

"Momma?" Lily called, turning sideways on Edward and clipping his chin with her little foot.

"Oh, and she kicks him after beating him up," Emmett chuckled, helping Lily off of Edward. Once she was on her feet, she ran to her mother, giggling as Rose scooped her up and hugged her tight.

"Is my baby girl finally ready for sleepy time?" Rose asked, her forehead pressed to Lily's.

"Book?" Lily asked.

"I don't know," Rose said. "I think we should ask Daddy."

"Daddy?" Lily called, opening and closing one hand toward Emmett.

"Bedtime for the princess," Emmett said, getting up from the floor. "Jasper, you owe me twenty. Edward, thanks for letting my baby whip your butt."

"No problem," Edward chuckled. His green eyes were bright and humorous, and his dimples were clearly visible as he smiled. He realized I was in the room and immediately scrambled to his feet, rushing over to me.

I inhaled his unique scent deeply as he held me close, placing small kisses along my cheek. "I love you," I whispered.

"I love you, too." He pulled back just enough to tilt my face up to his. "Are you hungry?"

"Not really."

"Can I get you anything to eat? Or at least drink? I'll gladly go out if we don't have anything you want here."

"Can we go together? I'm suddenly craving McDonald's fries," I told him, hoping he would let me cheat this once without a fuss.

"Oh, a cheeseburger would be so _yum_ right now," Alice said. "Little brother, please bring me back a cheeseburger," she begged, giving him a little pout. "And an ice cream sundae with chocolate on top."

"Sure, Ali," Edward chuckled. "Jasper, do you want something?"

Jasper leaned his head over the back of the couch and looked at us. "A quarter-pounder meal."

"You better get a Big Mac meal for Emmett and a chicken salad for Rosalie," Alice added. "They'll be hungry once they finish getting Lily to sleep."

"Such an amazing power and yet you didn't know you were pregnant," I chuckled.

"I know," Alice giggled. "It's on the fritz for me, but I can't complain. This baby was a great surprise," she said, looking down at her stomach.

Edward took my hand into his and headed for the front door. "We'll be back shortly."

"Make sure your phone is on. I might have to call you and revise my order," Alice yelled as the front door closed behind us.

"She's going to be such a terror," I chuckled. "You just thought you had it bad with me. Poor Jasper is going to be pulling out that blonde hair of his before it's over."

"Doubtful. He always seems to find a way to remain calm, no matter what the situation." Edward opened my door for me and made sure I got in safely. For the first time in a couple of weeks, it felt like he wanted to do this for me, not that he had to do it.

We talked about Alice and Jasper, and their baby the whole car ride, neither of us wanting to bring up James just yet. But I knew we would have to before the night ended.

When we got home, we all sat around the coffee table in the living room, swapping food and stories. Emmett told everyone about his attempts to learn how to put a diaper on by using a doll, while Rosalie described how funny it was for her to watch him run through a whole pack of diapers before getting it right. To get back at her, Emmett let it slip that Rose had laughed so hard, she'd peed her pants. Apparently, during the last couple of months of pregnancy the baby tends to sit on the bladder, making it possible for a poor pregnant woman to laugh hard enough to pee. So to get back at him, Rose smacked him upside the head and told about him trying out breast milk in his coffee and how it had made him puke. All of these were things I could have done without knowing about my brother and my sister-in-law.

For Alice's story, she gave us all the harrowing tale of her attempts to get pregnant—thankfully leaving out the risqué details that none of us wanted to know. Rose's earlier comments about Alice being worried made a lot more sense now, and I understood why Alice hadn't felt like confiding in me at the time.

"Alice, I'm excited that we get to be pregnant together. Wouldn't it be great if Rose was too?" I asked.

"No," Rose chuckled. "It would not. I love my baby girl to death, but I'm not ready for a second one."

"That's right," Emmett agreed. "But as soon as Lily turns four, I'm trying for a boy."

"That's so male of you," Alice giggled, tossing a fry at Emmett. "You've got that beautiful little girl who looks just like you and you still want a boy."

"I want to carry-on the Swan name. Sue me," Emmett shrugged. "And I don't care if I have ten boys, they could never replace my princess."

"What are you going to do if you end up with two princesses?" Jasper asked, smirking a little.

"Pray," Emmett replied immediately. We all laughed at the serious expression on his face.

"What about you, Jasper? Boy or girl?" I asked.

Jasper lifted Alice's hand and kissed the back of it sweetly. "Well, I definitely would like one or two of each eventually. But for the first baby, I think a boy would be nice. He could take up for his little sister once she came along."

"Just like you used to take up for me," Rosalie said, smiling at her brother. "Even though I was technically older."

"Twenty seconds. Big whup," Jasper replied, waving a hand through the air.

"Don't forget that a big sister can also look out for a little brother," Alice chirped. "Right, Edward?"

"Right, Ali," Edward chuckled. "Just make sure your daughter keeps better track of her brother's toys."

Alice poked her tongue at Edward and he reciprocated, making all of us laugh again.

Rose sighed as she looked down at her watch. "This has been fun, but if Alice really wants to drag us off shopping first thing in the morning, I need my beauty sleep."

"You always look beautiful," Emmett said, kissing her cheek.

Rose smiled and patted the side of his face. "I love you, you big bear."

"I love you, too," Emmett replied, smiling happily. And then the sweet moment turned into a pure Emmett moment as he got to his feet and tossed Rose over his shoulder, bounding up the stairs with her.

Once Alice and I stopped giggling, we hugged each other goodnight and Jasper walked her up the stairs toward their room.

Edward and I stayed behind to clean up the living room. "Why don't you rest on the couch while I clean this up?" he suggested.

"Are you sure? I don't mind helping," I told him.

"I'd really like it if you just rested," he said, his green eyes pleading with me to give in.

I smiled and kissed his lips quickly. "Okay." He helped me up from the floor and then I stretched myself out on the couch, covering up with the blanket Esme kept on the back of it. "Alice seems really happy," I mentioned, just wanting to hear his voice a little more.

"She does," he agreed. "I'm glad her dreams are coming true for her. I have no doubt that she'll be a great mother."

"Will Alice have any trouble? You know, since your mom did?"

"There's no way to know yet. Hopefully, she'll have an easy pregnancy, much like Rosalie did. And even if she comes across a few problems here and there, she won't let it get her down for long. Alice has always been able to adapt to new situations with an enviable amount of determination and poise."

"Think she can share some of that with me?" I chuckled, only partly joking. Had a I had a little of that, I'd like to think the James thing never would have happened.

Edward snorted a little and flashed me a smile, his dimples peeking out just a bit. "I'll be back. I'm going to throw this stuff away in the kitchen."

When he came back a few minutes later, he was smiling like a Cheshire cat and had one hand behind his back.

"What are you doing?" I asked, laughing a little.

"Making you smile," he said, leaning over the back of the couch. He lowered his head a little more and kissed me.

I chuckled and pressed a finger against one of his dimples. "What's behind your back that has you all smiles?"

"Something for you."

"Me?"

"Yes." He pulled his arm forward and held out a piece of lavender flower to me. "Esme's been growing them in secret. She said the scent would be soothing to you and help you sleep a little better as your belly expands and it becomes harder for you to get comfortable."

"Between the two of you, you really are thinking of everything," I mused, taking the offered flower. I breathed in the sweet smell coming from the flower and smiled. "It's a very nice scent."

"Let's go upstairs and see if it works."

"Won't it die if we don't put it in some water?" I asked as he helped me up from the sofa.

"We can use the glass we keep in the bathroom until tomorrow morning," he replied. "I'll have Esme find you a small vase. I'm sure there's one in the house somewhere."

We went up to our room and Edward took the flower from me, heading into the bathroom to put it in some water. I got rid of my pants and then climbed into bed, settling myself against the pillows.

Edward came out and put the glass on my nightstand, making sure to keep it away from the alarm so I wouldn't accidentally knock it over when smacking the clock. He smiled at me and then disappeared into our closet to change for bed.

As soon as he got into the bed, I scooted over and wrapped my arm around him. "I love you."

"I love you, too, Bella," he sighed, putting his own arm around my waist and drawing me a little closer. "So very much."

I took a deep breath and then started the conversation we'd both been avoiding. "I'm really sorry, Edward. I should have tried harder to hear what you were saying and not push it away just because I wanted James to be my friend."

"It's not your fault, Love. It's mine."

I tilted my head back so I could see his face. "How could it possibly be your fault? You tried to tell me."

"I shouldn't have become so protective of you the moment you told me you were pregnant. If I'd acted differently, it would've been easier for you to believe me."

"And if I had tried a little harder to recognize how this pregnancy has changed _your_ life, I would have been able to understand and believe you. But no! I was just thinking of all the ways it's made my life different and difficult. I was so selfish. And therefore, it's still my fault."

He buried his face in my hair and sighed heavily. "Can we not worry about faults? Can we just be glad it ended today without getting any more complicated?"

"Yes," I whispered, not trusting myself to speak louder. I was pretty sure my voice would crack from how horrible I was feeling again. This had hurt Edward so much and yet he still wanted to take the blame for it…for _me_.

"Bella, if I ask you something, will you tell me the truth? Even if it might hurt me?"

"I'll answer any question you ask, but I hope you know I would never hurt you."

He was quiet for a minute before replying. "I know you wouldn't mean it if you did."

I started to feel a little afraid of what his question might be, wondering if I _would_ hurt him somehow. But my curiosity was stronger than my fear. "What's your question, Edward?"

"I know you haven't been happy with me lately…" He paused and when he spoke again, I could hear the emotions he was trying so hard to hide. "Bella, have I pushed you away? Do you have feelings for James?"

I took his face into my hands, wanting those green eyes of his to see the truth in my answer. "No, Edward. Not even for a single moment. No matter how upset I've been with you, I've still loved you with my whole heart. I'll always love you that way because you're mine forever. You promised me." I held his watery gaze as I leaned forward and pressed my lips to his tenderly. Still not breaking my eye contact with him, I whispered a promise straight from my heart. "I love you and only you, Edward. That's never going to change. No matter how many people flirt with me or want more from me, and no matter how angry you make me, it won't change."

He smiled just as a single tear fell from his sad green eyes. I leaned up and kissed it away, hating myself for hurting this beautiful man so much. No matter what I did with the rest of my life, I wondered if I could ever truly make this up to him. I knew he wouldn't blame me and I knew he would tell me I didn't have anything to make up for, but my heart said differently. All he'd ever wanted was to love me and make me happy, to protect me…And I'd ignored all of that, choosing instead to believe he was just jealous all because I wanted to feel normal and James made me feel that way.

I wasn't worthy of this wonderful man lying here with me—not in the least. But he wanted me and I wanted him to be happy, so I was just going to have to do all I could to earn the love he freely lavished on me. I kissed each of his closed eyes, his cheeks, and finally his lips, moving slowly and carefully. I was worried he'd be too hurt to allow this and would stop me—but I needed him to feel how much I loved him. Even when I was trying to be worthy of him, I was being selfish.

I reached for the hem of his shirt, but his hand gently stopped mine, wrapping around it and bringing it up to his lips for a kiss. "It's been a long day and you need to sleep," he whispered. "Alice will want to be on the road early."

"Please, Edward," I begged, brushing my lips against his. "Please let me love you."

"You already do," he chuckled, tucking the blanket around both of us.

I did my best to stop them, but those tears started pouring out of my eyes once again.

"Why are you crying?" he asked, tilting my face up toward his.

"Because I feel so awful," I sobbed. "I'm sorry that I hurt you so much that you don't want me right now."

"Isabella," he sighed, wiping my tears away with his fingers. "You are so silly sometimes. Of course I want you. I _always_ want you. But you've had a very rough day, _and_ long day, and you need your sleep."

"No," I argued, shaking my head. "I need _you_."

He gave me a tender smile, but it only made me feel worse. My lips trembled and I swallowed back another sob, not wanting him to feel like my tears were his fault—they were all my own.

His lips found mine and then he whispered his reply. "Okay."

"Okay?" I sniffled even as I kissed him again.

"Okay," he confirmed, smiling as he kissed my wet cheek. "I love you, Bella Cullen. I will love you every single day of forever."

"What you just said…right back at you, Tutor-boy," I replied, finally able to smile for him.

I pushed on his shoulder a little and he complied, stretching out onto his back. He held onto my hip and arm as I moved to sit on his legs so I could reach all my favorite places to kiss on him. I started at his neck, giving him just a few pecks to both tickle him and make him want more.

His long arms made it easy for him to trail his fingers up and down my back and I fought to ignore it and stay focused on him. I decided a distraction was needed and changed my kisses to open-mouthed ones, lightly sucking his neck for every other kiss. His hands cupped my face so gently, giving me the impression that I felt like a fragile piece of glass to him. I finally understood that it wasn't because he didn't believe in me or my strength; It was because he loved me so much he couldn't stand the thought of anything hurting me, much less him being the cause.

Edward drew my face up and kissed my lips, pouring his love and passion for me into it—I only hoped he could feel the same from me. He wrapped his arms around my back and sat up a little, opening his mouth and letting his breathe fill my own mouth. "Breathe, Bella. If you can't remember to breathe, we'll have to stop."

"I'm trying," I said honestly. "I just need you so much."

"And you'll have me. Slow down and relax." He kissed me cautiously, checking to see if I could behave and listen; I wanted this too much to do anything else.

His hands slipped under my shirt and slowly made their way up my back, massaging every muscle they touched on their journey. By the time he made it back to the edge of my shirt, I was completely relaxed in his arms, happy to let him lead.

He gripped my shirt in his hands and pulled it up and over my head, tossing it to the side—I knew he'd make sure I put it back on before he let me fall asleep. He was always worried about me getting chilly in the night, ever since that time he'd found me sitting on the floor and cold.

He moved us so that I was resting on the pillows while his hands and lips traced the curve of my stomach. I pressed my hand to his cheek, wanting him to move those wonderful lips back up to mine. He smiled and did just what I wanted, as if he could read my mind.

Every touch, every soft caress, and every tender kiss was slow and loving between us as our bodies apologized in ways our words couldn't. This wasn't just make-up sex; this was a complete reaffirmation of our love for each other, and our promise to always belong to the other.

It never should have taken such a colossal misunderstanding for me to remember every single reason that I loved Edward. I'd always promised myself I would never take him, or our family, for granted, knowing what it was like to be alone, but I'd done it anyway. Our life was just so amazing and trouble-free most days that I'd gotten complacent, assuming it would always be so great. I was determined to never let that happen again.

The last of our clothes disappeared and Edward slid himself inside of me with such tenderness and care. How could one man emit so much love and understanding? I searched the depths of his green eyes, shining in the moonlight that flowed through our room, but couldn't find an answer.

He brushed my hair from my face and I knew his whispered words were the perfect response for my earlier internal question. "You're so beautiful, and I love you so much. My beautiful Bella forever."

By the time the slow buildup turned into our sweet releases, I could barely keep my eyes open. Edward slipped my shirt on for me and cuddled me close, lightly kissing the back of my neck as he hummed my lullaby. This time, I knew for sure that we'd made up and the fight between us was completely over with. We'd eventually have to sit down with James and sort this whole thing out, but for now, I was content to just focus on the present. There were strong, wonderful, protective arms holding me and warming me—that seemed to be the most important thing for right now.

* * *

**A/N:** Yes, it's another note from little old me. First off, thank you all for the reviews for last chapter. I'm glad so many of you enjoyed it. James is going to be sticking around for a few more chapters, but he will not be doing anything dark and deadly to Bella. This is not that sort of story.

Secondly, I hope that after reading this, you now have a much better understanding of the mental place that Bella has been in and that you will feel at least a little compassion towards her. Yes, she made some silly choices and she wasn't as aware as we would have liked, but she has a lot going on. Hopefully, now that you have her side of things, you will forgive her, just like Edward has. That's it. I'm out! Off to work on Alice's Plan "B" - getting Emmett some alone time with James. I'll have more chapters next weekend!


	25. Moment of Calm

**DISCLAIMER:** The characters do not belong to me…they are all the creation of the wonderful Stephenie Meyer.

**A Moment of Calm**

**Edward's POV**

I spent a good portion of my night just watching over Bella. She'd fallen asleep right after our love making and she'd hardly moved since. The way the moonlight was casting shadows on her face and hair made it seem like she had a little glow to her. Or maybe it was just the peaceful smile on her lips as she slept.

I was relieved to finally have her understanding about James, but I couldn't stand that it had hurt her so much. Bella had obviously felt some sort of connection with James and had tried to befriend him, not wanting him to be lonely. He'd taken advantage of that, trying to turn it into more than it was—I was extremely relieved to know it had only been one-sided. And now that Bella knew, it wasn't as though she could just put some space between them to deal with this mess since James was her student and in her classroom three days a week. No, we'd have to sit down with him together and figure out how to handle this.

Alice's grand plan to let James out himself had never even had to be put into play since he'd just gone and made his sudden confession to Bella. I had the feeling there was more to their talk than she was telling, but I could also see that she wasn't ready to discuss it. Knowing her, it was probably some silly attempt to protect me and my feelings.

With one last kiss to her soft cheek, I laid down and closed my eyes. There was a light fluttering sensation against the hand I had resting on her stomach and I smiled. "It's time for you to sleep, too, Little Man," I whispered. I closed my eyes and for the first time in weeks, I was able to fall asleep immediately.

The sound of a guitar slowly drew me back into a waking state. I opened my eyes, finding Bella sitting cross-legged at the edge of the bed with her guitar in her lap and her feet hidden somewhere inside my flannel pajama pants. I figured she'd put my pants on so she could go down and get her guitar and I wondered how long she'd been up.

"What are you doing?" I asked, smiling at her.

She gave me a big smile. "Hello, sleepyhead."

I turned and looked at the clock, surprised to see that it was nine-thirty. "I can't believe Alice didn't barge in at first light," I chuckled, looking back at my beautiful wife.

"She tried," Bella shrugged, her eyes focused on her fingers strumming the guitar strings.

"What song are you plucking? It doesn't sound familiar."

"That's because it's the vile country," Bella chuckled. "It's been sung by a few people, but I like Alison Krauss' version best."

"Do you have it on your iPod so I can hear it?"

Bella lifted her head just a little, looking at me through her thick lashes, as she put her hand over the strings to stop the vibrations. "Actually, I thought I might sing it for you."

"You're feeling _that_ good?" I asked, moving so that I was sitting up against our pillows.

"Yes. Would you like to hear it?"

"You know how much I love your voice."

She smiled as she started to play again. Her eyes went back to her hands and she pulled in a deep breathe before her soft voice filled our room.

_It's amazing how you can speak right to my heart_

_Without saying a word you can light up the dark_

_Try as I may I could never explain_

_What I hear when you don't say a thing_

_The smile on your face lets me know that you need me_

_There's a truth in your eyes sayin' you'll never leave me_

_The touch of your hand says you'll catch me if ever I fall_

_You say it best when you say nothing at all_

Her fingers continued to stroke the strings as she pulled in a few deep breaths, readying herself to continue the song.

_All day long I can hear people talking out loud_

_But when you hold me near, you drown out the crowd_

_Old Mr. Webster could never define_

_What's being said between your heart and mine_

_The smile on your face lets me know that you need me_

_There's a truth in your eyes sayin' you'll never leave me_

_The touch of your hand says you'll catch me if ever I fall_

_You say it best when you say nothing at all_

She looked so beautiful as she focused on her hands, making sure she plucked each note correctly. She suddenly lifted her head to look at me, freezing me completely with her loving, brown eyes.

_The smile on your face lets me know that you need me_

_There's a truth in your eyes sayin' you'll never leave me_

_The touch of your hand says you'll catch me if ever I fall_

_You say it best when you say nothing at all_

She lifted her hands, letting the last note trail off onto the air. I opened my arms to her and she smiled, immediately putting her guitar aside and crawling across the bed. I wrapped her up as tightly as I dared and kissed every part of her face that I could reach.

"You liked it then?" she giggled, trying to kiss me back.

"I loved it."

She took my face into her hands, those brown eyes of hers wandering all across my face. "I'm sorry. I know that's not nearly enough, but I hope you'll let me make it up to you and earn your forgiveness. I know I don't deserve it, but I need you so much, Edward. I need you to always be with me, making sure I don't fall from being a klutz or being oblivious."

"You still don't understand," I mused, brushing her sleep-tangled hair away from her beautiful face. "I was never upset with you, not really. I was aggravated I couldn't get you to believe me, but this was never about keeping you from James. It was always about making you aware of his feelings so you wouldn't have to end a friendship and feel impossibly guilty, just like you're doing right now."

"I took you for granted and I'm so sorry for that, Edward. I never wanted to do that to you. I've always felt so lucky to have you, and I know you give me this amazing life that few people ever experience…It's just…Well, things changed so much so fast between us once we found out I was pregnant. I just couldn't seem to get comfortable with the way you were constantly trying to do things for me instead of letting me do them myself. I've always been independent and more so after my parents died. And believe me, I know how stupid and silly it all sounds now…But at the time…" She shook her head, at a loss for words for once. "It was just easier to believe you were jealous than that James cared for me as more than a friend. Maybe easier isn't the word," she mumbled, shaking her head again.

"You had someone making you feel like you were still independent and capable, unlike your family who's been watching your diet, and your weight, and your blood pressure."

"Yeah," she sighed, tracing the lines of my palm with her fingers. "Seems stupid now, especially since I know those things have to be watched to make sure our baby is healthy. It was still nice to pretend I was perfectly fine, though, even just for a few hours a day."

"What if we designate a certain amount of time a day to handle all of the medical stuff and the things you find annoying about your pregnancy? That way, you're free to pretend for the rest of the day that there's nothing irregular about you."

"Shouldn't you be telling me to just grow up and deal with it since there _is_ something irregular about me?"

"No. If you spend every minute of your pregnancy thinking about things that could go wrong, you'll turn into me. I don't think we can handle more than one worry-wart."

Bella smiled and put our hands on her stomach. "And what if our little man takes after his daddy?"

"Then we'll just teach him to be more like his mommy. Be a planner and not a worrier."

Alice decided to burst into our room at that moment. "Time to get out of bed, lazy people. We have _so_ much to do today!"

"We'll be down in just a little bit, Alice," Bella told her.

Alice went to reach for the corner of our blanket, but I quickly stopped her. "I wouldn't suggest doing that," I told her, pushing her hand away.

"Gross!" Alice cried, her little nose wrinkling up in disgust.

Bella started giggling as she gripped the blanket in her hand. "Better run, Pixie. I'm getting out of bed on your orders and that requires me to toss back this blanket that's strategically covering your brother."

"Try to be ready in an hour," Alice said as she rushed out of our room, closing the door behind her.

Bella smiled up at me, her brown eyes bright and full of love and happiness. "Wish we'd figured out that was all it took years ago."

There was a knock on the door followed by my father's voice. "May I come in?"

"Please," I replied. Our room was quickly turning into a revolving door for family members.

My father walked in and smiled at Bella. "Good morning, Sweetheart. How are you feeling?"

Bella shrugged. "Okay, I guess."

"I was hoping you wouldn't mind me checking your blood pressure so early," he said, coming into the room with his medical bag. "I know Alice plans to have you out of the house for most of the day."

"No, that's probably a good idea," Bella agreed.

My father sat beside her on the bed while she rolled up the sleeve of her shirt. He pulled out the familiar black cuff and placed it on Bella's upper arm. He also held her wrist in his fingers, counting out her pulse as he pressed down on the ball and pressurized the cuff. I anxiously waited for the results, hoping last night's emotional rollercoaster hadn't affected her health too much.

Eventually, my father smiled, letting go of her wrist and pulling the cuff away. "Everything seems fine, Bella. Your pulse and blood pressure are both within normal ranges this morning."

"Thank you, Carlisle," Bella replied, leaning forward and kissing my father's cheek.

My father smiled at her and patted her leg. "It's my pleasure, Bella."

"Thanks, Dad," I told him as he got up to leave. He nodded his head and then left, closing the door behind him.

"Time to dress for our very long day," Bella sighed, tossing her legs over the side of the bed and slowly getting to her feet.

She disappeared inside of our closet and I followed after. I figured I might as well get dressed for my day, too—hanging out with the guys and Lily. Emmett had offered for the three of us to keep an eye on her so that Rose and the girls could have a baby-free shopping experience.

I tossed on blue jeans and a black t-shirt while Bella dressed herself in a white t-shirt, a pair of purple corduroy overalls, and a white sweater. She put her short hair up in a ponytail and proudly announced that she was done. "What do you think, Tutor-boy?"

I smiled and dropped down to my knees, pressing my lips to her protruding belly. "I think you look like the sexiest mother-to-be in the whole world."

"Very cute, Edward Anthony," she chuckled, pushing me away. She turned back toward the mirror, checking over her outfit again.

"I'm pretty sure you're the cute one, Bella Cullen," I said, standing up and wrapping my arms around her.

"I like these," she said, swaying in my arms and running her hands over her clothes. "It makes me look so much bigger and rounder."

"And yet you were so afraid of your growing belly in the beginning," I teased, kissing her neck.

"I'm going to miss you today."

"I'll miss you, too. Call me as much as you want, okay?"

She turned in my arms and smiled up at me. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"Loving me."

"Bella, it has honestly been my pleasure from the moment I fell for you." I carefully spun her around and faced her toward the bathroom door. "I'll be more than happy to continue this when you get home, but for now, we need to get some breakfast in you and get you on the road."

"I'm not feeling all that hungry," she said as we walked down the stairs.

"How about some toast and juice?"

"Toast sounds good, with strawberry jelly. But I'd prefer warm milk."

"Are you sure you're okay?" I asked, suppressing the urge to feel her forehead.

"I'm physically fine. I just need a little emotional comfort and warm milk always reminds me of sitting around the table with my mom. She used to drink it that way late at night during the winter."

"You understand that I'm not upset with you, right?"

"Yes. But you have to understand that I'm upset with myself and it's going to take me some time to deal with that."

"I'm here for you, Bella. Just tell me what you need," I told her, squeezing her hand lightly.

"Look out! Hot momma comin' through," Emmett bellowed as we came down the last of the stairs and entered the living room.

Jasper stuck his fingers in his mouth and whistled at Bella, while Rose and Alice clapped for her.

"Stop it, you guys," Bella said, trying not to laugh at their antics as her cheeks turned a bright red.

"See Alice, you _are_ rubbing off on her," Rose chuckled. "She never would have put together such a stunning ensemble when we first met her."

"Why did I want to go shopping with you again?" Bella asked, putting her hands on her hips.

"That's right, Momma! Stick that baby belly out," Emmett joked, grinning at Bella.

Bella sighed and rolled her eyes. "Can we please have breakfast before my insane brother comes up with anymore pregnancy related taunts?"

"Those of us who aren't lazy, already had our breakfast," Alice chirped.

"I'm pregnant. Deal with it," Bella said, poking her tongue at my sister as she passed her on the way to the kitchen.

"Bella woke up feisty," Rose chuckled.

I laughed as I went to follow after Bella, but Emmett grabbed my arm. "Is she really okay or is she still upset from yesterday?" he asked.

"I think it's a bit of both, actually," I replied.

"Oh, Edward, you're up. Is Bella awake too?" my mother asked, walking down the stairs.

"She's in the kitchen, Mom," I told her.

"Does she want something cooked? I don't mind," my mother offered.

"No. Just warm milk and toast this morning," I answered.

"Poor dear," my mother sighed. "Her stomach's probably as torn as her heart. It's such a shame."

"What the hell is wrong with this guy? Why'd he have to get all goofy over my sister instead of just being her friend?" Emmett asked.

"Bella has said he was painfully shy and didn't get to spend much time with his sister. Maybe the idea of having an instant family with Bella appealed to him," Jasper offered. "And you can bet that Bella was the first person in a long time to even make the attempt to be this guy's friend. He simply mistook her _com_passion for _a_ttraction."

"There's nothing simple about how awful Bella is feeling right now," Alice pouted. "What can we do to cheer her up?"

"Nothing, unfortunately," I said. "She just needs time to process this and deal with the guilt she's feeling."

"What are you going to do about James?" Rose asked.

"I don't know yet. We're definitely going to have to sit down with him and talk this out. He needs to understand he misread her intentions, and I'd like to ensure he won't do anything to try and get her fired. On the opposite end of that, I'd hate to see him drop the class. It's too late in the semester for it to be excused, so he'd have to take an 'F', and Bella would feel even worse if that happened."

"You might want to call Jack and give him a heads-up, Edward," my father suggested, having walked in our conversation. "Just in case James files a complaint against Bella."

"That's probably a smart idea," I agreed. "I'll talk to Bella about it."

"About what?" Bella asked, looking at me over the top of her mug. I chuckled at the milk mustache above her upper lip. She realized right away why I was laughing and scowled at me. "Bite me, Cullen."

"Now that's pure Bella," Emmett said through his laughter. "It's nice to have you back, Squirt. I was beginning to worry you were passing all of your sarcasm and fight onto your baby."

Bella stepped forward and punched Emmett in the shoulder. "Shut up, Em."

"Ooh, I'm so scared of the little pregnant woman," he said, waving his hands in front of his face.

"You should be more afraid of her very scary husband," I said, stepping in front of her and crossing my arms over my chest. "He's sort of out of patience for people annoying his wife."

"Alright, Edward. That was ballsy and I respect that," Emmett replied, nodding his head. "Sorry, Squirt. I forget when to stop teasing sometimes. I didn't mean anything by it."

Bella wrapped her arms around me, tucking herself against my side and I smiled down at her.

"I know we make fun of you for it a lot, Edward, but you're kind of hot when you get all angry and scary," Rose joked, winking at Bella.

"Ew!" Alice cried, hiding behind her hands. "Don't say things like that when I'm in the room."

"I thought you could push that aside," Bella teased, grinning at my sister.

"Well I can't today, so please don't do that again," Alice huffed. "Besides, you two are supposed to be eating so we can leave."

"Come on, Love," I chuckled, leading Bella back toward the kitchen. "Let's have our breakfast before Alice decides to leave without you."

"So what were you guys talking about?" Bella asked as she refilled her cup with milk.

"My dad suggested we talk to Dean Wilson about our situation with James just in case he decides to file a complaint against you."

Bella frowned, putting her cup into the microwave. "I really hope he won't do something mean like that. I do feel awful that he misunderstood, but I spent most of my morning thinking about everything that happened and I really don't see where I did anything to give him the impression I wanted more than friendship."

"He's hurt," I shrugged. "People sometimes do things they wouldn't if they took the time to rationally think them out."

"Can we talk about this later?" she asked as the microwave dinged. "I really don't want to discuss him right before I leave."

"That's fine, Love," I said, taking her bread from the toaster. "Do you want just a little jelly or a lot today?"

"Just a little."

I fixed her toast and then brought it over to her at the table. "I'm going to fix myself some scrambled eggs if you change your mind."

"Thanks, but I really don't want more than this," she said, frowning into her mug.

"You know you don't have to go shopping if you don't feel up to it," I mentioned.

"I actually want to go. I want to see what Alice picks out for herself. And I was reading that if I get one of those snuggly pillows, it'll help me to sleep on my side easier."

"A snuggly pillow?"

"Yeah," she replied, munching on a corner of her toast slice. "It's this 'u' shaped pillow and it bends to curve around your belly. They make them in all different sizes so you can get one that just cradles your stomach or one that goes all around you to make you feel snug. Hence, the snuggly pillow."

"Ah," I replied, trying not to laugh.

Bella just shrugged her shoulders at me, continuing to eat her toast.

"You aren't done yet?" Alice asked, standing in the doorway with her hands on her hips and big smile on her face.

"Nope," Bella chuckled. "Going to have to wait a little longer."

"You're being so slow on purpose, aren't you?" Alice pouted.

"That's such a brilliant deduction, Watson," Bella laughed.

"You _are_ feisty this morning. What's up with that?" Alice asked, sitting across from Bella. "I smell scrambled eggs."

"That was completely random," Bella chuckled.

"My nose suddenly knows _everything_," Alice replied.

"Welcome to pregnancy," Bella snorted. "Just wait until you try to go back to the salon and your stomach does this weird rip, roll thing like if you were on a twisting coaster."

"Easily solved," Alice chirped. "Nose plugs."

Bella and I glanced at each other before laughing at my sister—she was truly one of a kind.

I sat down next to Bella with my plate, looking forward to my breakfast. The fork never even got close to my mouth. One pout from my sister and my plate and its contents were in front of her.

"Guess you're making more," Bella chuckled, kissing my cheek.

"Your niece or nephew thanks you," Alice said, holding her hand in front of her egg-filled mouth.

"Oh, Edward! Can you imagine the horror if it's a girl?" Bella asked as I headed back toward the stove. "Mini-Alice!"

"Stop trying to act like you don't love me and my abilities," Alice said.

"Of course I love you, Pixie. You're my best friend," Bella replied.

"I love you, too, Bells," Alice sniffled.

"Come on," Bella chuckled as a chair scooted across the floor. I looked over to find her walking toward me with her empty plate and mug. "Let's get on the road before you scare the guys with your crying like I used to do."

"Okay," Alice chirped.

"Shouldn't you finish the eggs you stole?" I asked, turning toward my sister.

"What eggs?" she replied, giving me a wicked smile as she showed off her empty plate.

"Did you inhale them?" I asked, completely shocked that she'd managed to eat all of those eggs already.

"Nope," she chuckled, leaning up and kissing my cheek. "Thanks for my second breakfast, little brother."

"No problem," I said, smiling at her. "Be nice to my wife today."

"I'm nice every day," Alice assured me. "Bella just doesn't always agree with my version of nice."

"Need a hug and a kiss, Cullen. Otherwise, I can't leave this house and the Pixie will have a fit," Bella said, smiling at me.

"And if I want to keep you here?" I challenged, giving her the smile she loved best.

"Please?" she replied, poking out her bottom lip just a little.

I chuckled as I crossed the short distance between us and took her into my arms. I leaned down and kissed her belly, and then stood up to kiss her lips. "I love you and our baby. I'll miss you both."

"We love you, too," she whispered, holding my face in her hands. "I won't let her keep me gone the whole day."

"Good," I chuckled, pressing my lips to her forehead and hugging her tightly. "I love you, Bella."

"I love you, too," she sighed.

"Love you, love you, miss you, miss you. Are we done?" Alice asked, tapping her little foot on the tile floor.

"Are you really sure you want to shop with her?" I asked Bella while smirking at my sister.

"Bye, Edward," Alice sang, taking hold of Bella's arm and walking out of the kitchen with her.

I chuckled and turned toward the stove, making a second attempt at having breakfast. Hopefully, Bella would have a great day with the girls and it would put her in better spirits. I knew this was only a moment of calm in the storm we'd gotten caught in. Whether we wanted to or not, we would have to sit down with James and sort this all out. Tomorrow was Monday and as much as I didn't like it, there was no way to avoid him.

* * *

Tomorrow's chapter will be the big sit down with James. And next weekend looks like it will be some family time with Edward, Bella, and Lily, and then Emmett's POV of his "talk" with James.

And for any who care ... Rob has cut off his hair! LOL! I hope he's not in trouble with anyone for it. Pics can be found on robertpattinson dot org


	26. Cleaning Up The Mess

**DISCLAIMER:** The characters do not belong to me…they are all the creation of the wonderful Stephenie Meyer.

**Cleaning Up the Mess**

**Bella's POV**

I stayed home both Monday and Tuesday, having managed to catch myself a little head cold. Edward and I had a talk about me staying home again today, but since I was only congested and not running a fever, we agreed it would be fine for me to go in.

"Stay seated and drink plenty of fluids," Carlisle cautioned as Esme handed me a small cooler filled with juices and water.

"I will," I assured them both. "I'm even bringing one of my pillows so that I have no excuse to get out of my chair."

"She's going to be fine," Edward said, smiling at me as he held my sweater out. It was both refreshing and reassuring to have him sounding so confident in me.

"If you feel tired or too sick to continue your day, call me and I will gladly come get you," Esme said, straightening my sweater on my shoulders.

"I feel like I'm five and this is the very first day of school," I chuckled, my voice cracking a little from the congestion. "I love you for worrying, but I'm going to be fine."

"Maybe you should wait until next week to deal with James," Esme suggested.

"No," I said, shaking my head. "The sooner we get it over with, the better. Besides, Edward's going to be right there with me."

"And Dean Wilson was very understanding when I spoke to him on Monday," Edward reminded them. "We'll have a nice, calm discussion with James over lunch and put this whole thing behind us."

"Exactly," I agreed.

"We should get going, Love," Edward said, taking the cooler and grabbing both of our briefcases. "We don't want to be late."

"No, definitely not," I replied, taking his offered hand.

The ride to school was silent, but it was back to being those amazingly restful and peaceful silences that Edward and I had been capable of having from the very beginning. I spent the ride relaxed against my seat with my eyes closed and my hands over my baby. In the past couple of days, we'd felt him move a few more times—always in the late afternoon and night. Edward was already making comments about possibly having a night-owl on our hands.

Edward eventually broke the silence, speaking softly. "Are you awake?"

I smiled and opened my eyes. "Yes. Just relaxed."

Edward chuckled, but quickly stopped himself. "I'm sorry. You just sound so cute when you're all stopped up."

"Shut up," I whined, pushing on his shoulder.

Edward pulled into the parking lot and I couldn't help but look around, wondering if James would be waiting like before. "What are you thinking?" Edward asked.

"I just wanted to do something nice for him, but I messed everything up," I sighed.

Edward lifted up our twined hands and kissed the back of mine. "You haven't messed anything up. We were just caught in an unfortunate situation and now, we're going to put an end to it together. You may even find a way to remain friends with him."

"How can you be so calm about it now? You were so upset just last Friday."

"Last Friday, you didn't believe me."

"Oh," I whispered, feeling more chastised than if he'd have yelled at me.

Edward squeezed my hand lightly, getting me to look up at him. "Bella, for the thousandth time, I was never upset with you, just the situation."

"And worried that I might run off with this guy," I muttered, staring at our hands.

"Only a little and only towards the very end," he admitted.

"I'm so sorry you felt that way for even a second."

"Bella," he groaned. "Please stop apologizing to me. I know you didn't mean for this to happen."

"I'll try," I sighed, squeezing his hand.

"Come on, Love. Let's get to your class."

I nodded my head and smiled for him. He got out, grabbing all of our bags, and then came around the car to help me. I was starting to lose sight of my feet, and more of my balance at the same time, so I definitely wouldn't be getting in and out of cars on my own for awhile.

I was so busy in my morning classes, getting everyone ready for the finals that were only a month away, that I never found the time to worry about James. It wasn't until Edward walked into my classroom that I even realized the time.

"How are you?" he asked, leaning down and kissing my cheek.

"I'm okay. It's been a busy morning," I replied as he opened my cooler and peeked into it. "Two waters and one juice," I reported. "And I was careful on my way to the bathroom during my six bathroom breaks. I swear this kid is sitting on my bladder today."

"Just wait," Edward chuckled.

I was so happy to have him happy that I didn't even mind he was teasing me. "Remind me to ask Esme tonight if you ever sat on her bladder. I doubt I was so cruel to my mother."

"Said the biter," he snorted, showing off his dimples.

"I'm starting to question Emmett's memories of events," I said, smiling back.

"Question his memories all you want, but that scar on his knuckle doesn't lie," Edward replied, laughing a little.

The classroom door opened and we both turned toward it, not surprised to find that it was James. He looked nervous and had a bouquet of flowers in his hands. "Hello," he greeted, cautiously stepping into the room.

"Hello, James," Edward greeted, standing up next to me. "We were hoping you would stick around after class. There are a few things we need to discuss together. Perhaps over lunch?"

"Sure," he said, giving Edward a wide berth as he moved closer to my desk. "These are for you, Professor Cullen. Partly as a get well token and partly as an apology for Saturday. I misspoke."

"Thank you, James," I told him.

"This was very thoughtful of you," Edward agreed as he took the flowers. "Bella's still a little under the weather, or I'm sure she'd enjoy the smell."

"I have that vase in my bottom drawer from when you gave me flowers for my birthday," I told Edward.

"Then I'll just go out to the hall and put some water in it for you," he said. He knelt next to me and dug through the drawer until he found the vase. He smiled at me before standing and leaving the room.

"How was the rest of your weekend, James? Did you catch up on your assignments?" I asked.

He stared down at his shoes, pushing on his glasses a little. "Yeah."

"Did your sister make it home okay?"

He sighed heavily, still not looking up from his shoes. "I'm just going to take my seat now."

"Oh, okay. We'll talk during lunch," I said, feeling more uncomfortable than at any other time I could recall. This poor, lonely guy had completely misread my friendship and was now probably both embarrassed and hurt.

Edward came back into the room and glanced over at James on his way to me. He set the vase on the edge of my desk and put the flowers into it for me. "Everything okay?" he whispered, taking my hand into his.

"Don't know," I shrugged. "He didn't seem to really want to say much, so I didn't press."

"Just focus on teaching for the next hour and then we'll talk with him at lunch."

"Can we go visit Sylvia? Minestrone soup sounds really good today."

"Sure. She'll be happy to see you, especially since you're showing so much now."

"Yep," I smiled, looking down at my belly. "Our little man is really starting to grow."

"And I have to go."

"Say it ain't so," I chuckled.

Edward laughed as he leaned down and kissed my cheek. "I love you. I'll see you in an hour."

"Okay, Honey," I said, smiling just for him. Personally, I really didn't feel up to smiling. I felt sad, and guilty, and sick. I thought about going home, but I wasn't sure how much was really the cold and how much was my nervousness over lunch so I decided to just tough it out.

My class was just as busy as my morning ones, making it easy to forget all about lunch and speaking with James. It wasn't long before Edward was back and we were leaving for the restaurant with James following behind us.

Edward held the door and helped me up the two steps and into the restaurant. Sylvia smiled as soon as she saw us and came right over. Once she was standing in front of me, her smile turned to a frown.

"Bella di momma, osservate così stanco," Sylvia said, clucking her tongue against the roof of her mouth.

"Sorry, Sylvia," Edward chuckled. "We still haven't learned Italian yet."

"She looks tired, Edward," she said, holding my face in her hands.

"I have a head cold," I told her.

"And I have soup. You'll have a big cup. I' il ll gli fa migliorare in nessun tempo," she instructed, leading us over to our usual table.

"What was that one?" Edward asked, sitting beside me.

"I said that I will have her better in no time. I'll bring you some tea as well," she said, patting my shoulder. "Old family recipe. It'll clear you right up for you to breathe better."

"Thank you," I said, smiling up at her.

"I'll have soup and tea as well," Edward said. "They sound good. James? What about you?"

James put down his menu and pushed his glasses up his face. "I'll just have the spaghetti and meatballs. And a coke."

"I'll be back with the drinks," Sylvia said, already walking away.

James fidgeted in his seat, looking very uncomfortable—no one seemed to know how to start what was sure to be a very awkward conversation.

Edward cleared his throat and sat up a little straighter in his chair. "How is your sister? Did she make it back safely?"

"Um…well…" James stuttered. He sighed as he pushed his glasses up his nose once more. "I'm sorry, but I sort of lied. I don't have a sister. I just…I didn't want to scare you, Bella, with how much I cared, so I thought it would be better to say I was reading for my sister instead of admitting I was reading for you."

"But…you weren't even talking to me then," I said, feeling even more confused about this mess.

"Well, I was working up the courage. I just…I didn't know how to start an actual conversation. But then you did it for me, and well…" James paused and took a deep breath. "Bella, how could you lie to me? How could you let me believe you cared? On Saturday, I was trying to explain and you just turned your back on me."

"James, I never lied. And I did care. I _do_ care. But only as a friend. Nothing more than that," I said.

"How can that be, though? The way you shared pieces of your life with me, discussed your plans for the future! How could that just be friends?" he asked, looking honestly confused.

"That's what friends do, James. They discuss their hopes and dreams. They talk about their families and plans for the weekends. They share," I explained.

"James, didn't you have friends in high school?" Edward asked.

James shrugged his shoulders. "I was home-schooled and I never really felt the need to leave the house. And from what I remembered of being in school as a young child, it wasn't exactly filled with people I would want to associate with."

"Well that explains a lot," Edward sighed. "Look, I know better than anyone—except Emmett—that Bella is an amazing person. She's kind, and loving, and very selfless. I can understand how that could be mistaken by someone with limited social experience."

"Limited social experience," James muttered, shaking his head and glaring at the table. "I fall in love with a married woman, profess my love to her like an idiot, even offering to raise her baby—"

"You _what_?" Edward asked, narrowing his eyes at James.

I grabbed Edward's arm, making sure he didn't move. "I meant to mention that, but sort of didn't find the right time for it," I said, praying Edward would understand I was just trying to protect him.

"I knew you were holding back something," Edward said, looking down at me. "I just didn't realize it was that _wrong_."

"Sorry. I was just…" I shrugged, not knowing how to finish.

Edward smiled and pressed his lips to my forehead. "You were trying to protect me, and I love you for that."

"Tea," Sylvia announced, putting a steaming cup down in front of me. "Don't just drink it," she cautioned, handing Edward his mug. "Breathe it in deeply before you take each sip. Clear you right up," she promised. She gave James his coke and then disappeared again.

"So what now?" James asked, using the straw to stir his drink.

"That really depends on you," Edward replied. "Do you think you can just be a friend? Or do you need to remove yourself completely?"

I fidgeted in my seat, trying to keep a polite smile on my face. James had lied about having a sister. He had made up a complete other person…And I'd fallen for it. Each time I thought I understood how stupid and blind I'd been, something new popped up to show me that I was an even bigger idiot. In my quest to feel normal, to feel like myself, I'd put my marriage at risk. And maybe even my job too. My parents must both be having fits, looking down at me and my colossal mistakes.

"Well, I—" James started.

"Soup!" Sylvia announced, appearing once again. "I had them put extra zucchini in yours, Bella. I know how much you love it."

"Thank you, Sylvia. You're too sweet to Edward and me," I told her.

"I'm just buttering you up so that you leave him to me when you get tired of him," she chuckled, winking at me.

"Not going to happen," I said, looking up at Edward and squeezing his hand.

He smiled and leaned toward me, kissing my lips lightly. "Never."

"I figured as much," she said, smiling. "He doesn't have a brother, does he?"

"Just a sister," I laughed.

"Appena la mia fortuna," Sylvia said, shaking her head. She smiled and lifted her hands, stopping my question before it left my lips. "Just my luck."

"Luck has a way of changing when you least expect it," Edward said, smiling at me.

"Have they told you their love story?" Sylvia asked James.

"No," he replied, shaking his head.

"You come with me in the back while I get your plate together and I'll tell it. It'll make you believe in fairytales," she assured him. "Let Bella eat her soup and run off that cold. And, Edward, you eat every drop of yours to keep yourself healthy."

"Yes, Ma'am," Edward chuckled.

"Well, come on," Sylvia demanded, waving her hand at James. He seemed a little uncomfortable, but got up and followed after her anyway. Sylvia had a way of making you feel like family, and I was sure James would realize that before they even made it into the kitchen. And honestly, I was extremely grateful to her for taking him away for a few moments.

"What do you think he's going to do?" I asked Edward, blowing on my spoonful of soup.

Edward shrugged, having just put some soup and vegetables into his own mouth. He swallowed and took a sip of his tea. "I really don't know, Bella. He's obviously feeling embarrassed and upset. I think he's a bit mystified about how this went so wrong for him."

"I still can't believe he lied about having a sister. It makes me wonder what else he's been lying about. I just…I don't think I can ever really trust him after this." I sighed heavily, pushing the vegetables around in my mug of soup. "So many mistakes and it all started over such simple reasons," I sighed.

"What were those reasons?"

"One was that I hated seeing him so friendless and looking so lost. He seemed to be all alone in the world and I guess that added with already being all emotional about my parents just made me want to reach out and help him."

"And the other?"

"Well, we talked a few times and the conversation wasn't solely focused on the baby and my health, it became my favorite part of the day. I was just Bella around him. I was the girl that loved books and still had a little crush on Mr. Darcy. I wasn't just a mother-to-be. It wasn't for the baby. And I'm sorry, because I know that sounds selfish."

"No more selfish than me constantly getting you to do things and saying it was for the baby. I'm sorry, too, Bella. I should never have dismissed how you were feeling as just being part of your pregnancy. But…well, I get why you stopped trying to talk to me, but what about Angela? Why couldn't you have confided in her instead of James?"

"I actually did try to call Angela in the very beginning. But by that point, she had that new job in downtown Seattle and Ben had proposed. The few times I was even able to get her on the phone, she sounded so stressed already that I couldn't imagine adding to that."

"I can understand that," Edward said, nodding his head. "Bella, I promise to listen better from now on. I'm sorry I haven't been here for you emotionally like you needed."

"I think this is the point where we stop worrying so much about what we did and didn't do and start focusing on what need to do from this point forward. One of the first things is that I need to stop postponing getting the house ready for this little man. The other is that we need to find a house, Edward. I love living with Esme and Carlisle, I truly do. But we should have our own home for our son to have his own memories in. And we should be standing completely on our own two feet."

"I agree," Edward said with a small nod. "I'll do everything I can to try for before the baby comes, but if I can't make it happen, I swear to you it will be done before the baby turns six months old. I just want to make sure we have the house you want and that once we're settled in, we're home and we don't have to worry about moving again."

James appeared and sat down with his plate. "So you wound up with her just because you made the choice to go to dinner with your sister and friends?" he asked, looking at Edward.

"It sounds simple, doesn't it?" Edward asked, laughing a little. "At the time, I was just annoyed at having decided to listen to my sister. And now, I look back on it, and it was the best choice of my life."

"Yep," I agreed, leaning against him.

"So…I think it's best if I just leave," James said, looking between Edward and me. "I'm going to head back to Minnesota. I really do have parents there and I should spend some time with them."

"Are you at least going to finish out the semester?" Edward asked. "It's only a few more weeks."

"I don't know," James said, shaking his head.

"James, please don't ruin your grades over this. It was a misunderstanding, an amazingly awkward one, but it's not the worst thing ever. Just…at least stay and finish the semester," I pleaded. We had all made mistakes, but James shouldn't have to lose an entire semester over them.

"I don't know if I can do that. I don't know if I can be around you," he said, frowning at his plate. James finally lifted his head and his eyes were filled with so much sadness that my heart ached for him—not anywhere close to the hurt I felt for what I'd put Edward through, but it still bothered me. "Bella, I appreciate that you're trying to be nice, but…Look, I messed this up so much. I misread everything. I can't have this daily reminder of how stupid and socially stunted I am. I just—"

"James, I understand that you're embarrassed, but tossing away an entire semester isn't going to help. If anything, it'll make it worse for you," Edward told him. "You'll just end up angry with yourself and resentful about all of this."

"And I should listen to _you_? You've disliked me from the start," James said, looking a little angry.

"No, it wasn't that I disliked you," Edward argued. "I saw from the very beginning that you were overly attentive with Bella. I've seen guys who were infatuated with her before and I know when I see that look in a man's eyes. I didn't want you to misread her friendliness and hurt the both of you in the process. Honestly, had she not been distracted by the pregnancy, she would have noticed herself."

"James, you don't have to speak to me outside of class. You don't even have to like me. Just…please don't toss away your entire semester. It's not worth it. _I'm_ not worth it," I told him.

James suddenly lifted his head and smiled at me. "You're wrong about that. And I appreciate that you can still find it in you to care about me after how hugely I screwed this up. But I just think it's better this way." He stood up and held his hand out to Edward. "Neither of us really deserves her, but at least I know you'll take good care of her."

Edward shook James's hand, smiling a little. "I think you should sleep on it, James. At the very least, only skip Bella's classes. You really shouldn't lose the whole semester over this. But whatever you choose, I wish you luck."

I smiled and nodded at James, unable to find the words to explain to him how sorry I was for all of this. I still had no idea what I'd said or done to give him the wrong idea about our friendship, but that guilt was still there. And now he was going to throw away his semester.

Just as quickly and strangely as he'd entered our lives, James left. He walked out of the restaurant door and I just felt this sudden certainty that I wouldn't be seeing him again.

"Bella, you should finish your soup. It's getting late and we have to get back to the school," Edward said, rubbing my back a little.

I did my best to keep my voice even as I replied. "Edward, can we just leave? I don't want to eat anymore."

"Okay. Would you agree to Sylvia putting the soup into a container for later?"

"Sure," I sighed, leaning my head on his shoulder.

"I'll be right back," he said, kissing the top of my head. He stood and took both of our mugs away with him.

I sipped at my tea, trying not to think about anything. I still had one more class to get through before I could go home and crawl into bed. One more class before I could allow myself the luxury of wallowing in the guilt and sadness I was feeling.

We got back to school with barely any time before classes started, but Edward somehow managed to get me to my class and then get to his own. I felt like I was running on autopilot as I handled my last class of the day. It was easy since I was covering the exact same material I'd gone over in every other class today.

That sense of numbness stuck with me as I rode home with Edward, ate dinner, and took my shower. It wasn't until Edward left our room, positive that I was sound asleep, that I finally let myself think and feel all the things I'd pushed away today. I laid in our bed, trying to process all of my feelings and listening to the sound of Edward's piano filling up the house; he'd left the door open, probably wanting to make sure he could hear me if I called for him. I wouldn't do that, not right now. This was my fault and my pain, and I needed to be alone to deal with the largest part of it. If Edward was with me, he would only try to take the blame onto himself and that would make me feel even worse.

I didn't cry, though the urge was there. Instead, I just carefully reviewed my life from the moment I'd decided to befriend James, looking for every single error I'd made. I wanted to catalogue and document them all to make sure I never, ever repeated them. When I'd met Edward, I had been so sure of myself and so independent. I could tell right away when someone was being honest with me and when they had their own agenda. And then I'd landed into this amazing life and ended up going soft, getting used to things just being easy and perfect. I needed to find a way to balance those two versions of myself; I needed to protect both Edward and myself from something like this ever happening again. I needed to remember how to see and swat a fly.

The music finally stopped and I tilted my face up, looking at the clock next to the bed. It was after eleven—I'd been laying here with my thoughts for nearly two hours. I watched the open door and waited for Edward to appear, finally ready to accept his comfort…and if he would give it, his forgiveness.

He came into the room, humming to himself and shuffling some pages in his hand. I watched as he slid the pages into his briefcase on the floor and then disappeared into the bathroom. He reappeared a few minutes later, yawning as he walked over and closed the bedroom door. He finally noticed me and that my eyes were wide open. "Bella? Everything okay?"

"Not yet, but I hope it will be."

He climbed into our bed and slid under the covers with me, wrapping his arm around my waist. His fingers massaged my back lightly as he kissed my forehead. "What are you doing awake? And what do you mean by you hope it will be?"

"I know this is going to sound selfish of me, but I need to know that you forgive me, Edward. For not believing you, for arguing with you, and for ignoring you. I should have trusted you more."

"Bella, I already told you that I understand why you didn't believe me. You thought I was just overreacting because of how I've been behaving since you got pregnant."

"Understanding isn't the same as forgiveness. I need to know you believe me when I say I really didn't think James had feelings for me."

"I do believe you, Bella. And if you need to hear it, I'll tell you, even though I don't really believe there's anything to forgive." He pressed his lips to my forehead again before smiling at me. "I forgive you, and I love you."

"I love you, too," I sighed, scooting closer to him.

"How do you feel about James possibly dropping out?"

"We don't have to talk about him."

"Yes, we do. You're tender-hearted and I know you must have a lot of conflicting emotions about all of this. So tell me how you feel."

"Incredibly guilty. I've ruined his life when all I wanted was to be his friend, to make him a little less lonely."

"You haven't ruined his life, Bella. If he chooses to drop out, that's his choice, not yours."

"He wouldn't be considering it as a choice if it wasn't for me," I argued.

"He was the one who made the choice to pursue you as more than a friend," Edward pointed out.

"But if I'd only listened to you right away, I could have set him straight long ago and then it wouldn't have gotten to this point."

"There's no way for you to know that, Bella. You could have told him, but there's no guarantee he would have listened."

"And if he hadn't, I would have put distance between us."

"Bella, it's very easy to play the "would have" scenario now that it's over. But what good does that do you? Or James for that matter?"

"I don't know," I sighed. "I just…I don't want him to ruin his grades over this. I don't want him to be so hurt that he feels like he has to run away from his school and his dreams just because I was an idiot."

"Love, I know that selfless part of you wants to take all the blame, but you can't. James was a much bigger idiot. Yes, you ignored my warnings. But James ignored our marriage, our obvious love for each other, and the fact that you are carrying our child," Edward explained, rubbing his hand over my belly. "He tried to insert himself into our lives and drive us apart so that he could have the life he thought would make him happy."

"But I helped, even if I didn't know it at the time."

"And that's my point, Bella. You didn't know. But James did. He knew exactly what he was doing from moment one. Think about it, Love. He made up a pregnant sister for God's sake."

"So what now?"

"Right this very second, you are going to do your best to let go of the guilt and shame you're feeling and close these beautiful brown eyes of yours. You're still sick and you need your rest. Tomorrow, we're going back to the school for another day of teaching. And by Friday, we should have some sign of James's decision. There really is nothing more for you to do, Bella. You've apologized to me, and to James. All you can do, is try to move past this."

"How?" I asked, searching Edward's green eyes for some sign.

He smiled and started rubbing my belly again. "You can start by focusing on this little boy that's going to be with us very soon. We can focus on putting his room together. We can focus on Alice and Jasper and help them out on their own journey to become parents. I'll warn Jasper of all the things he shouldn't do, and you can ask Alice to take it easy on him," Edward chuckled.

"I love you, Edward."

"I know," he smiled, kissing my cheek. "I love you more. Now, please close your eyes and go to sleep. If you don't, I'll have to beg you to stay home tomorrow, and I won't be ashamed to pout at you until you give in."

I chuckled a little, knowing he was just as serious as he was joking. "Give me a kiss goodnight, Cullen."

Edward smiled and pressed his lips to mine. "Goodnight, Love."

"Night," I yawned, snuggling my face into his shirt. He hummed my lullaby and stroked my hair until sleep finally overtook me. And when I woke the next morning, a little of that weight that had been sitting on my heart since Saturday had lifted. I could only hope the coming weeks and months would take away the rest of it. Edward was right and there was nothing I could do about whatever choices James would make for himself. All I could do was focus on my husband and my son, making sure they had the best possible lives and that they understood just how much I loved them.

* * *

To my little conspiracy theorists, Knox and Blinding, you were both right about James' sister being a big fake! LOL! You get virtual cookies for your theories! Just two more chapters and James will leave our little story permanently.

Since this is the last posting before Christmas, I want to give a few wishes for the holidays:

To my wonderful, amazing, and talented Cookie Sisters and Mom, **Merry Christmas**! I love you all and I hope Santa brings you exactly what you need, if not what you asked for. Same goes to our favorite cookie half and to that Chip we love to torture.

To all of my adopted family members, from my little sister to my new little cousins, I wish you a Merry Christmas and all the Twilight items you can stand!

For all of you wonderful readers and reviewers, I wish you all a very, very Merry Christmas and I hope everyone has a wonderful time with their families. And last, but certainly not least, To my favorite Fanfic authors, I wish you all a writer's block free holiday and that ideas find you and help you get new chapters out there for us all!


	27. Babysitting Lily

I hope you all had a very merry Christmas and that Santa was sweet to you all.

Here's a warm and fuzzy little chapter to make you all smile!! Emmett has his say tomorrow!

* * *

**DISCLAIMER:** The characters do not belong to me…they are all the creation of the wonderful Stephenie Meyer.

**Babysitting Lily**

**Bella's POV**

As I waited patiently for the blood pressure cuff to declare me healthy—or not—my mind drifted over to James. He hadn't been in my class today and I hadn't seen him anywhere on campus today or the day before. Edward said I shouldn't jump to conclusions and that maybe James was just taking the rest of the week off to make his decision. I was fairly certain he'd already made it and was probably in Minnesota.

"Slightly elevated," Carlisle announced, breaking me from my thoughts. "Only a few points, so nothing to worry over. Just be careful of what you eat and drink tonight and try to stay relaxed. Let Edward be the one to chase after Lily."

"I was already planning on that," I chuckled. "I'm having trouble walking so chasing is definitely out."

"I've left beef stew in the refrigerator," Esme said. "Edward, it's best if you heat it on the stove over medium heat. Make sure you let Lily's cool completely before you feed her. She's used to eating by six-thirty, so you'll want to have her bowl cooling on the counter by six-fifteen to prevent her getting upset."

"Thanks, Mom," Edward chuckled. "We have sat for her before, you know."

"She's my grandbaby," Esme shrugged.

The front door opened and was immediately followed by Emmett's booming voice. "Squirt? We're here."

"Urt, here!" Lily's voice announced shortly after.

I laughed as Edward, Esme, and Carlisle all started heading for the kitchen door. Lily was talking more and more every single day—and most of it was repeating her father.

"Look at that, Princess. A welcoming committee," Emmett chuckled. "Where's Bella?"

"In the kitchen," Esme answered. "Hello, sweet baby girl. Let's go see Aunt Bella."

"Bee-bee," Lily sang. And then she appeared, smiling wide from her spot in Esme's arms.

"Hey, Lily Bear," I said, smiling for my little niece. Esme leaned forward and let Lily kiss me on the cheek. "Oh, you are so sweet," I told her, patting her leg. "I don't know how your daddy ever lets you out of his sight."

"It's tough," Emmett replied as he kissed my forehead. "How are you doing, Squirt?"

"Almost completely over my cold," I said.

He sat down in the chair next to me and took my hands into his big paws. "And the James thing?"

I shrugged. "Nothing I can do about that. And I don't really know yet what he's decided."

"You sure you feel up to watching her tonight?" he asked.

"Emmett, I've looked forward to this all day. Please don't worry, and let me have fun with my niece," I told him.

"We're going to have a quiet night in, just the three of us," Edward said, bouncing Lily in his arms. "Grandma and Grandpa have a dinner to go to tonight."

"Eee," Lily laughed, leaning forward too fast and knocking her head against Edward's.

"Ouch," he chuckled, rubbing her head even as he winced at his own injury. "You've got to be more careful, Sweetheart." Lily just laughed again, resting her head on Edward's shoulder.

"Alright, well me and Rosie are heading out to dinner at that new Mexican restaurant downtown. If you change your mind about Lily sleeping over, you call me, Squirt. I don't care what time it is."

"Em, I'm not changing my mind," I assured him. "Go and enjoy a night out with your wife."

"Alright," he sighed, getting up from the chair. He kissed my forehead and hugged me. "I love you, Bella."

"I love you, too, Brother Bear. Have fun and tell Rose 'hello' for me."

"Edward, you keep her still," Emmett ordered, shaking Edward's hand. "Bye, Princess. Daddy will see you tomorrow morning."

"Bye-bye," Lily sang as she gave Emmett a sloppy kiss on the cheek.

Emmett chuckled and wiped his cheek. "I love you, Lily. Be good for Uncle Edward and Aunt Bella." He waved at her once and then disappeared.

"We're heading out now, too," Carlisle said, kissing Lily's cheek. "See you tomorrow, Sweetheart."

"Emmett left her diaper bag in the living room, but should you need anything else, she has extra everything in Rose and Emmett's room upstairs," Esme told us as she hugged and kissed Lily.

"Mom, we know," Edward said, sounding a little exasperated with her. "And before you say anything, Dad helped me move her crib to our room so she won't be alone and it will be very easy to hear her should she wake in the night."

Esme smiled and nodded and then allowed Carlisle to lead her out of the room.

"That was interesting," Edward chuckled. "I wonder how awful she was when it was Alice and me, and not just her granddaughter."

"I wonder if you'll take after her when it's our baby and we leave him for the first time," I mused, smiling at Edward as he sat down next to me with Lily.

"We actually have to leave him?" Edward asked, smiling so much that his dimples came out. Lily stuck one of her little fingers into the indentation and laughed.

I took her hand and kissed the palm of it. "I like those too, baby girl."

"What shall we do first?" he asked.

"How about a short walk in the park? And then Uncle Edward can help you on the slide and swings."

Lily laughed and clapped her hands together, obviously liking the idea.

Edward chuckled as Lily struggled out of his arms until she was standing between us, with a hand on each of our legs to keep her steady. "Can you handle her alone while I put her carseat in the Volvo?"

"Absolutely," I assured him.

He smiled and kissed my cheek before leaving the kitchen.

Lily looked up at me and pointed toward the doorway. "Eee?"

"He's putting your carseat in so we can go to the park. And you can slide and swing. Maybe we'll see some ducks, too. We should have Uncle Edward bring crackers so you can feed the ducks. Would you like that?" I asked, running my fingers through her curls.

"Quack, quack, quack, quack," Lily yelled, waving her little arms around. I laughed as I thought about her little Elmo doll that Emmett hated so much. He blamed Jasper for Lily's sudden love for the toy, but it was actually my fault. Or my fun, depending on how you looked at it. And honestly, if Emmett hadn't shown such a strong dislike for it, it never would have happened.

"What are you giggling about?" Edward asked, smiling as he walked over to Lily and me.

"Oh, Lily is excited about feeding the ducks at the park, so she was quacking."

"Guess I need to find some crackers then," he said, walking over to the cabinets.

Almost a half hour later, we were finally at the park. Lily was holding one of my hands and one of Edward's as we walked through the park, looking for the ducks. She was very talkative today, even though we could only really understand a few of her words.

"What do you think she's saying?" Edward asked, staring down at Lily's curly head.

"I'm not sure. From the tone she's using, she's happy about whatever it is," I replied.

We rounded the corner and a small pond came into view, complete with a group of mallards. Jasper had taught me the types of ducks that frequented this park during one of our picnics here.

"Quack," Lily screamed with glee. "Quack, quack, quack."

"I believe she's seen the ducks," Edward chuckled.

I spotted something better than ducks—a bench. "Honey, I'm going to sit down for a bit. Will you take her closer to feed them?"

"Feeling okay?" he asked, lifting Lily up into his arms.

"Yep. Just feeling the need to sit down," I replied. I kissed his cheek and handed him the bag of crackers. I made my way over to the bench and stretched myself out. I had to laugh as Edward tried to get Lily to only throw one cracker at a time—he was dealing with a very lost cause.

I definitely had a new sight now that we'd gone through everything with James. And with that came a new appreciation for the type of man that Edward had become. He had been nearly as closed off to the idea of family as I was when we'd first met, but the years had changed him drastically. He was the epitome of a family man now, putting every single member—even Emmett—ahead of himself. He wanted nothing more than our happiness, and a smile from one of us really could make his day. The knowledge that our own baby would change him further was nearly baffling, but it was also true.

While the years had made Edward open up to his family completely, they had made me complacent. I'd assumed everyone would be happy and healthy. I'd expected we'd all enjoy wonderful romances and amazing marriages. I hadn't really put much thought into how those things would be accomplished. I'd never once given life to the thought that a strong family came with hard work from every single family member and that it wasn't all luck and chance. Edward knew this and that's what made him so fiercely protective of us all. I would have to learn to be more like him, especially if I wanted a true forever with him.

"Aunt Bella, someone is ready for the slides," Edward chuckled, chasing after Lily as she ran for me.

I laughed and lifted her up, setting her on my legs. "Did you feed all the crackers to the ducks?"

Lily nodded her head, her curls swinging all around her.

"Then we should definitely get you over to those slides," I said.

Edward lifted Lily up into his arms and then helped me get up from the bench. "We'll let her slide a couple of times and then head home. It'll start to get dark soon anyway."

"Any thoughts on what we'll do when we get there?"

He smiled crookedly, his dimples peeking out as he draped an arm around my shoulders and sweetly kissed my cheek. "No, but I'm sure we'll think of something."

And as usual, Edward was right about that. He'd moved the living room table and loveseat around, using sheets to create a little fort for Lily to play under. She and I were hiding in the fort, watching and waiting for Edward to try to get in again. Every time he did, Lily would smack him with a pillow and then fall down laughing about it.

"I think I hear him," I whispered to her. I pointed to our left and made sure she had a good grip on her pillow.

Edward pulled back the sheet and playfully growled at Lily as he stuck his head inside.

She screamed and then smacked him with the pillow. "No!"

"Oh, please, Lily Bear," he pleaded, pouting at her. She smacked him again, right in the mouth and he sputtered, wiping at his lip with the back of his hand. I couldn't help but laugh at the look on his face; that pillow obviously didn't taste good to him.

"Okay, Lily. I think we've had enough fun beating on Uncle Edward," I chuckled, pulling her into my lap. "Would you like to play with your blocks?"

She wiggled off of me and toddled out from under her fort, knowing right where her bucket of blocks was kept.

"That was fun," Edward said as he pulled the sheets away, letting the bright living room lights shine down on us.

"Yes, it was. She'll be ready to crash before long. She's had her fun at the park, she's had dinner, and she even got to splash you during her bath."

"And Emmett worries she doesn't have fun with us," Edward chuckled, sitting down next to me. He leaned down and kissed my belly. "Are you having fun with us, too?" he asked, pressing his ear against me. There was a slight fluttering sensation and then a stronger sense of movement. Edward smiled from ear to ear and I knew he'd felt it too.

"I think that's a yes, Honey," I said, stroking his hair.

"This is nice," he sighed, closing his eyes.

"Yes, it is," I agreed, looking over at Lily. She was carefully pulling each block out one at a time and setting them onto the floor.

"I'm looking forward to lots of nights like this with our baby, where we just stay in and play with him."

"Have you been thinking about that a lot?"

"No," he sighed.

And there was another good reason to feel guilty about my actions and to want to be a better person for him. I'd had him so worried about the James thing that he hadn't even had time to think about our future with our son.

"So think about it now," I said. "Tell me what you want to make sure you get to do with him?"

"I don't have anything in particular. I'm just looking forward to seeing him with you."

"Okay," I chuckled. "I'm excited to see you with him, and you're excited to see me with him. We are a pair, aren't we?"

"It's why we're so good together," he said, sitting up and opening those emerald green eyes of his. He glanced over at Lily and smiled. "She's yawning. We should probably put in a movie and get her to fall asleep for the night." He walked over to the television, pulling out a few of the DVDs we'd gotten for Lily. "Which do you think?"

"Let's watch _Narnia_," I suggested.

"That's not too violent for her?" Edward asked, looking worried.

"No," I chuckled. "She doesn't really know what they're doing. She'll like it for the animals."

"Let's just watch _Over the Hedge_ instead."

"Sure," I snorted. "Because the animal trapper guy won't be scary at all. Or the mean lady that's in charge of the homeowners association."

"Yes, but Hammy will make up for the scary stuff because he loves the cookie," Edward said, laughing a little as he walked back over to me. He helped me up and onto my feet.

I ran my fingers through his messy bronze hair, getting a content little sigh from him. "You win. Hammy it is."

"Good," he chuckled, pressing his lips to my forehead. "That's what I grabbed."

I laughed and playfully pushed him away. "You are such a cheater."

Edward stood up straight and grabbed Lily's blanket from the arm of the sofa. "Lily, I have your blankie. Let's go up and watch Hammy."

Lily was busy arranging a stack of blocks all around her. She lifted her head at Edward's voice and smiled at the sight of her favorite pink blanket. She picked up her bottle and toddled over, tossing herself into his waiting arms.

We headed up to the third floor together and when we got into our room, Edward playfully dropped Lily right into the middle of our big bed. I laughed with her as I sat down next to her on the bed. She held onto my hand and jumped up and down a few times before letting herself fall and starting to giggle.

"You are such a silly little girl," I said, tickling her right behind her knees. She shrieked out a baby giggle and tried to turn away. "Oh, no, you don't," I laughed. "I've got you now. Aunt Bella is going to tickle all of those laughs right out of you."

I saw Edward moving out of the corner of my eye and looked up to see him getting down on his hands and knees, crawling next to the bed and heading for Lily.

"Uh, oh, Lily Bear. I think Uncle Edward is trying to sneak up on you."

She looked from me to the side of the bed, noticing the tuft of bronze that was peeking up as he moved. She giggled and rolled herself onto her stomach before crawling toward the edge. Edward popped up his head and the two of them roared at each other. He grabbed her up and started kissing her all over her face, getting her to giggle and squeal.

"She's never going to settle down if you keep that up," I laughed.

"Said the woman who was just threatening to tickle the laughs from her," he replied, climbing into bed with her. He settled Lily between us and tucked her blanket around her. I handed her bottle to her and she immediately plopped it into her mouth, turning her head so that she had it resting on Edward's chest and could see the television.

"She's going to be out before long," I whispered, running my fingers through her hair.

"It is pretty close to her bedtime," he said softly, rubbing her little back.

"She's such a good baby—always happy. Do you think our baby will be that way?"

"Of course he will. He has the same loving family to make him happy. We all dote on Lily just as much as Rose and Emmett do. It'll be the same way for our baby, and now for Alice and Jasper's, too."

"I'm so excited for them. They're going to be great parents. They're so in-sync with each other that I'm sure they'll be the same with their baby. Although, I have to admit that I'm more than a little jealous of Alice's lack of morning sickness."

"I wondered about that," Edward chuckled quietly, trying not to disturb Lily.

"At least she has the same crazy appetite that I do. Oh, I forgot to tell you. When we talked last night, she invited us over on Saturday afternoon. She's making Jasper barbecue. She's been craving barbecue ribs and sausages."

"And for you?" he asked, his eyebrows lifting up a bit.

I poked my tongue at him, knowing he was only trying to watch out for me. It wasn't a good idea for me to have too much red meat with my blood pressure issues. "Chicken. And she promised to have corn and salad as sides. She wants to spend some time with you."

"With me?" he asked, sounding a little shocked.

"That's what she said. She's early into her pregnancy. Remember how clingy I got to all of you at that stage? Especially Em?"

"Yes, I do. And if Alice needs me there for her, then I'll be there."

"I love that you love all of us so much and you're so willing to put yourself out just to be around for us."

"Bella, it's never a put-out to get you guys what you need. It's just part of loving you. Besides, none of you really ask for that much. Well, except for Alice when she wants me to shop with her, but even that's not so bad."

"I was thinking that when we go over, we could talk about the nursery with Alice. Go through those sketches she did and start actually putting the room across the hall together."

"That's a great idea. I spoke with my parents Monday night and they're very excited to have us stay and to have the baby so close."

"Your mother is never going to want us to leave," I chuckled.

"Probably not," he agreed, smiling at me. "But she'll also never stand in our way when we are ready for our own home."

Lily's bottle suddenly dropped onto the bed; I leaned up and checked on her, finding her fast asleep. "She's out."

"I'm going to lay her in her crib."

"Just leave her here."

"She kicks in her sleep and I don't want her to accidentally get you. Besides," he said, sliding out of the bed with her in his arms. "I get to finally cuddle with you."

I smiled at him, following him with my eyes as he set her down in her crib, right in front of the big windows. He tucked her in tightly and kissed her cheek before returning back to our bed.

"You are so good with her," I told him as he pulled me close.

"She makes it easy," he sighed, burying his face in my hair.

"You sound tired."

He nodded his head a little, letting out a loud yawn. "I did get beat up, soaked, and jumped on all in one afternoon."

"But you looked so cute all soaked and dripping wet. And it made Lily smile."

"It certainly did," he said, yawning again.

"My superhero husband is worn out," I chuckled, kissing his cheek.

"I'm glad we're already in bed with the lights out. I don't think I could get up again if I wanted."

"And if I needed a snack?" I asked, just teasing to see what he would say.

He groaned just a little as he pulled his head back and looked at me. "What would you like?"

"Honey, I was only joking. I don't need anything."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive." I passed my hand over his eyes. "Why don't you close these beautiful green eyes of yours and go to sleep?"

"Just so long as you go to sleep too."

"I guess you're cute enough to sleep with," I said, trying not to laugh.

"I see your sense of humor is returning," he chuckled.

"I know how much you love it when I tease you."

"Very much the highlight of my day," he mused, kissing the side of my neck.

"I love you, Edward."

"And I love you, Bella." He yawned again as he grabbed our blanket and pulled it up and over us.

"Aren't you going to watch Hammy with his cookie?" I teased, tracing his ear with my fingertips.

"Tomorrow," he said, smiling a little. His eyes were closed and his face was already relaxed, showing just how tired he really was tonight.

I ran my fingers through his hair again and again, finally getting the chance to be the one watching him sleep. It was nice to have him so relaxed and not worrying over me—maybe I should beg Emmett to let us have Lily stay over more often.

When the movie ended, I got up from the bed to turn the television off. I also spent a few minutes watching my niece sleep, listening to her soft breaths as her chest rose and fell. She looked so angelic with her curls framing her face and her little pink blanket tucked all around her so snug.

"Is everything okay?" Esme whispered, appearing beside me.

"Yes," I replied, leaning into her. "She just looks so sweet sleeping like this."

"Did she wear Edward out?" Esme asked, looking toward the bed.

"Yeah," I chuckled. "He fell asleep not long after she did."

"What are you still doing up?"

"Oh, I was just turning off the television and checking on Lily. I'm not planning to stay up."

"Good. You need your rest."

"Esme?"

"Yes, Dear?"

"When…when everything was going on and Edward and I were arguing, did you believe him?"

"I didn't give it much thought."

"Really?" I asked, a little shocked. I pulled away and looked up into her face.

She smiled and ran her hand over my hair. "I've learned it's best to stay out of things and remain neutral. Sort of like Switzerland. I wasn't there at the school to see how James behaved, and for all I knew, Edward and you were both wrong. I will say that had you not noticed on your own during Emmett's party, I would have spoken up at that point, but only because I saw his behavior with my own eyes."

"Do you think Edward really forgives me?"

Esme patted my hand and led me over to the bed. "If he didn't, he wouldn't be sleeping that peacefully. He's always had trouble sleeping when he's stressed, even as a young child. I've still never managed to get Alice or him to confide in me about the Stanley girl, but I know she was the reason for his distance and his terrible insomnia—I'm good at allowing Alice and him to feel like they have their secrets." She smiled and moved my hair over my shoulder. "And then you came along and his insomnia went away, along with his distance. Now, I don't want you feeling guilty, because you're already doing it far too much, but while this strain has been between the two of you, I've heard him up late at night, wandering around the house. That's stopped since the party."

"Boy, when I screw something up, I don't do it halfway," I muttered.

"Isabella, please stop beating yourself up. It's a mistake anyone could have made."

"Do you really believe that?"

"Do you honestly think Carlisle has been a successful surgeon all these years and there's never been a nurse or another doctor who got a crush on him?"

"Well, no, but didn't he see that for himself?"

"Not always. There's been a time or two when I've had to take an eager young lady aside and remind her that he has a family."

"Thanks, Esme. I don't know how you do it, but you always seem to have some story or bit of wisdom to make me feel better."

"Wisdom comes with age and experience, Bella. And you have many, many years ahead of you. One day, you'll be my age and you'll get to share all of the lessons you're learning now with your own children."

"I hope I'm at least half as good of a mom as you are."

"I'm sure you will be. Now, get yourself into that bed and get some sleep. Lily will be up by seven."

"Goodnight, Esme. I love you."

"I love you, too, Sweetheart," she said, giving me a hug and a kiss on the cheek. She turned and left the room, closing the door behind her.

I slid under the covers and carefully put my head down on Edward's chest, not wanting to wake him. I laid there in the dark for a long time, just listening to his strong and steady heartbeat.

That fluttering sensation started up in my stomach and I chuckled quietly. "Hello, Little Man. What are you doing awake right now?"

"He's probably wondering the same about you," Edward muttered, wrapping his arm around my back. "I certainly am."

"I was going to sleep. Promise. I just stayed up to watch the end of the movie."

"You've seen it a thousand times."

"A thousand and one now," I giggled.

He sighed and pressed his lips to my temple. "Goodnight, Silly Bella."

"Goodnight, Sleepy Edward." I smiled as he shook his head the tiniest bit. And then I closed my eyes, letting myself fall asleep next to the man I loved so completely.


	28. Beware of the Bear

Here it is folks!!! Emmett and James finally have their talk!  


* * *

**DISCLAIMER:** The characters do not belong to me…they are all the creation of the wonderful Stephenie Meyer.

**Beware of the Bear**

**Emmett's POV**

I held Lily close as I bounded up the few stairs and onto Carlisle and Esme's porch. I opened the front door and stepped inside—Esme had given me an open invitation after my very first visit. "Squirt? We're here."

"Urt, here!" my little princess repeated smiling up at her daddy. I loved this little girl more than should be allowed—God help any man who made _her_ cry. I would commit murder for her without a second thought. For the Squirt, I was just going to rough the creep up a little.

Esme, Carlisle, and Edward came out, greeting Lily more than me, but I didn't mind. My girl was loved and lovable.

"Look at that, Princess. A welcoming committee," I chuckled. "Where's Bella?"

"In the kitchen," Esme replied, kissing my cheek. Lily dove for her grandmother, snuggling into Esme's arms happily. "Hello, sweet baby girl," Esme cooed. "Let's go see Aunt Bella."

"Bee-bee," Lily sang as we all headed into the kitchen.

"Hey, Lily Bear," Bella greeted with a big smile. She still looked a little pale to me and I hoped it was just that cold bug she'd been fighting. Esme held Lily out so she could kiss Bella's cheek. "Oh, you are so sweet," Bella chuckled. "I don't know how your daddy ever lets you out of his sight."

"It's tough," I said honestly as I pressed my lips to my baby sister's head. She was only a little warm—if she'd been any hotter, I'd have found a babysitter for the princess. "How are you doing, Squirt?" I asked.

"Almost completely over my cold," she said, sounding only slightly muffled.

I sat down next to her and held her hands, getting her to look right at me. She wasn't going to be allowed to edit on this one. "And the James thing?"

She shrugged like it didn't matter, but her brown eyes misted up and said otherwise. "Nothing I can do about that. And I don't really know yet what he's decided."

"You sure you feel up to watching her tonight?" I pressed.

"Emmett, I've looked forward to this all day. Please don't worry, and let me have fun with my niece," Bella pleaded. I sighed, knowing I wasn't going to be able to deny her with her bottom lip jutting out like that.

"We're going to have a quiet night in, just the three of us," Edward promised, bouncing my little girl in his arms. "Grandma and Grandpa have a dinner to go to tonight."

"Eee," Lily laughed. I looked up just in time to see her smack her little head against Edward's big bony one. I winced, hoping she hadn't hurt herself too badly.

"Ouch," Edward said, rubbing Lily's head. "You've got to be more careful, Sweetheart."

My girl might have been a princess, but she was also a fighter. She just laughed at her uncle and then put her head on his shoulder.

"Alright, well me and Rosie are heading out to dinner at that new Mexican restaurant downtown. If you change your mind about Lily sleeping over, you call me, Squirt. I don't care what time it is," I told her, only partially lying. Mexican was on the menu, but it was more hat dance than burrito—actually, more of a face dance if I had my way.

"Em, I'm not changing my mind," Bella said, her expression serious. "Go and enjoy a night out with your wife."

"Alright," I sighed, getting up from the chair. It was a good thing her pregnancy was making it hard for her to spot things; otherwise, she'd be begging me to behave and leave the little creep alone. I'd warned him about making my sister cry, so it was his own fault that he hadn't listened. I pushed those thoughts to the side and focused on my sister. I kissed and hugged her goodbye. "I love you, Bella."

"I love you, too, Brother Bear. Have fun and tell Rose 'hello' for me," she said, giving me a big smile.

"Edward, you keep her still," I ordered, shaking my brother-in-law's hand. Edward might piss me off every so often, but he was a good man and he loved my sister like crazy. Tonight's activities were as much for him as they were for Bella. "Bye, Princess. Daddy will see you tomorrow morning."

"Bye-bye," Lily sang as she gave me one of her baby kisses, slobbering all over my cheek.

I laughed for my baby girl and wiped my face. "I love you, Lily. Be good for Uncle Edward and Aunt Bella." I gave her a little wave and then headed out of the house.

"Any problems?" Rose asked as I slid into the jeep.

"Nope. Baby girl is happy with her aunt and uncle, and the Squirt doesn't suspect a thing," I told her.

"Perfect," Alice chirped. "Let's get going."

"Alice, are you sure you should be coming along for this?" Jasper asked, putting his hand over her stomach protectively.

"Jazzy, I love you, but if you ask me that once more, I'm going to rip your pretty little blonde hair right out of your head," she threatened with a sweet smile on her face. It made _me_ shiver.

"She's not leaving the street, Jasper. Neither am I. We're only here as the wonderful, amazing, sexy alibi's you two will need," Rose said with a little chuckle. Damn, I loved this woman. Another good reason to rearrange this little creep's face—he was making me miss sexy time with my Rosie.

"So I came up with another great joke about tonight," I said, looking up at Jasper in the rearview mirror.

"Right," Jasper replied, rolling his eyes. "That's what you said about the last one."

"Not my fault you don't know a good joke when you hear one," I said.

Rose smiled and took my hand into hers. "Em, far be it from me to dash your little dream of becoming a world-renowned comedian, but saying you're going to turn James's Chihuahua face into guacamole isn't really a joke. It's just a Mexican-themed threat."

"Rosie, I thought you loved me, baby," I said, pouting at her for effect.

"I do love you," she assured me. "But that doesn't mean I have to love your jokes or even find them funny."

"Can we get back to a topic that actually matters?" Alice chirped. "We need to go over the plan once more."

"Pipe down back there, Pixie," I joked, smiling at Alice in the rearview mirror.

"Fine. Come up with your own plan then," she huffed, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"You're still sore that your grand plan to out James never got to go into effect," I told her.

"No, not really," Alice replied with a shrug of her tiny shoulders. "I actually like this Plan 'B' so much better. You know revenge has always been my special forte."

"Yes, you did enjoy torturing the Stanley girl mercilessly," Jasper chuckled. "I'm sure you've been missing the joy it brings you."

"I still can't believe you actually ran her off to Alaska," Rose chuckled. "What's she doing up there again?"

"I heard she's a housekeeper…in a brothel. Three sisters run the place and _handle_ the customers," Alice explained. "Or so I hear. Then again, it could all be in that Yorkie kid's head."

"Yorkie?" I asked. "Why does that name sound familiar?"

"Pizza delivery guy," Alice chirped.

"You get your info from the pizza boy?" I chuckled. "You're even fruiter than I thought."

"No, Bella's pizza is fruity," Alice corrected. "_I_ am a woman who knows that a large tip on a slow night, combined with a little innocent flirting, will get the pizza boy to spill his guts. Jessica ordered her pizza every Wednesday night, at exactly seven-fifteen so that it would arrive by eight. She ordered pepperoni with extra cheese and ranch sauce on the side. Want to know what her apartment looked like?"

"No," Rose laughed. "That's quite enough already."

"So what info do you have on tonight's target, Pixie?" I asked her.

She shook her head, frowning a little. "I googled him…And I was disturbed by what I found."

"What? Is this guy like some stalker freak or something? Do I need to actually break the little bastard?" I asked.

"Calm yourself, you big grizzly bear," Alice chided, slapping the side of my arm. "It's nothing that awful. He's just got a myspace page with the most god-awful graphics and music on it. It seriously gave me and the baby a tummy-ache."

"Sure it was the page and not the four waffles you had for breakfast?" Rose questioned with a smirk. God, I loved her smirks. I loved her lips. I loved her—_Focus Emmett! You have a creep to set straight._

"Alice, how do you know he'll be down there tonight?" Jasper asked.

"It was on his myspace," she replied with a wicked smile. "Apparently, little James isn't too shy to enjoy the occasional poetry slam."

"I can just imagine it now," I said, smiling wide. I looked around at my family and cleared my throat. "There once was a lonely boy who had a friend named Bella. Her big brother was one very scary fellah. Lonely fucked up and made her cry. Now he's got busted ribs and a black eye. Can't complain for being mauled by a bear. He didn't listen, so it's only fair."

"How eloquent you become when excited by the prospect of hitting something," Jasper chuckled.

"Emmett," Alice giggled, her little body shaking against Jasper's side. "That was the best."

Rose leaned over and ran her fingers down my arm teasingly. "Baby, if you teach our daughter to ever say anything like that, I'm going to show _you_ what it's like to be mauled," Rose threatened with a perfect smile.

"Rosie, I may not always be the brightest bulb on the tree, but I still know when to blink," I chuckled.

"What?" Alice and Jasper laughed.

I rolled my eyes at them. "It means I still know when to behave and use my brain."

Friday night traffic held us up a few times, but we still made it downtown plenty early enough to "accidentally" run across James. Alice knew he'd never buy us going into the café, but since the Mexican restaurant was just a few doors down, bumping into him on the street outside was completely possible.

"God, the chimichangas smell excellent," Alice said, sniffing the air.

"How the heck can you pick that out of all the other smells around here?" I asked. "All I smell is food."

"The nose knows," Alice shrugged. "Oh, he's getting ready to come out."

"Perfect," I said, cracking my knuckles.

"Emmett, you have to start out talking," Rose cautioned, putting her hands on mine.

"And if it turns to hitting, you have to escort him into the alley first," Alice reminded me for the billionth time.

I put my arms around my wife and drew her close, looking right into her beautiful blue eyes. She had the most perfect eyes—crystal clear blue and always full of love when they were looking at me. "I love you, Rosie. Any other woman on this planet would have made me stay home and stay out of this."

Rose's fingernails scratched lightly against my scalp as she ran her fingers through my hair. "I always support my man when he's taking care of his family." Her fingers wrapped around my curls and she roughly pulled my face to hers, giving me a kiss that briefly made me consider taking her home and forgetting all about what's his name.

"If you two don't mind, the reason we came down here tonight is walking in the opposite direction," Jasper interrupted.

"Go get him," Rose whispered, using her thumb to wipe her lipstick from my lips. God, what a woman!

With a shake of my head and an adjustment of my now tight jeans, I turned and headed for the little creep who'd been causing so much trouble. "Hey, James? Is that you, buddy?" I called out, a friendly smile on my face.

The little nerd stopped and turned, pushing his glasses up on his face. "Um…Emmett, right?" he asked, already shaking in his little penny loafer shoes.

"Yeah," I replied, smiling wider with just a little menace peeking out. "You remember my wife, Rosalie, my brother-in-law, Jasper, and his wife, Alice?"

"Sure. From the party," James replied, looking around anxiously. He was smart enough to realize his life was in danger, even if he didn't know why just yet. "Is…uh…is—"

I ended his stupid stuttering, his voice grating on my nerves. "My sister is home with her husband, that she loves, and my daughter."

"Sure. Of course," James replied, nodding his head. He looked like a bobble head and I bit the inside of my lip not to laugh at him. "So, uh…what do you want?" he asked.

"Oh, nothing. We're just on our way to that restaurant over there," I explained, pointing to the spot for him. "We saw you and thought we'd say 'hey'. Oh, and goodbye. Edward said you planned to head back to Minnesota."

"Well, I haven't decided yet. I thought I'd take a few days to think it over, like Edward had suggested."

"Yeah, but you realize the best thing for you is going home, right? You go home, you lick your wounds clean, you find a girl who's not married. You know, be normal, James. Not a home wrecker."

"What?" he asked, taking a step back from me.

I quickly stepped forward with a huge smile on my face, hooking an arm around James's shoulder and making it appear for everyone around us that we were the best friends ever. I started walked, forcing James to follow along with me. "Yeah, man. It's been great to see you and know you, but I totally understand why you need to get your self back home. Down time. That's very important after a mistake like the one you made."

"Mis-mistake?" he stuttered, trying stupidly to get out of my grip.

I tightened my arm around him and enjoyed his hiss of pain. "Yeah, you know, your mistake. Making my sister cry and all."

"Hey, she led me on," he yelled as we entered the deserted and shadowy alley. "She was the one who started talking to me."

"Is that so?" I asked, my voice calm. This little pipsqueak didn't know calm was deadly with me. I let go of his arm and backed him into the building wall, pinning him there with my arms on either side of his head. "Because I heard she tried to be your friend and you tried to become her husband. She was only trying to talk to you about books and make you feel like you weren't alone in the world because she's soft-hearted that way. She cares too much sometimes. And then you saved her from falling so she felt like she owed you something, like she needed to make sure you had at least one friend in the world. And you took advantage of that. You found ways to use that against her and trick her into inviting you to lunches and my party."

"You're making that up," he said, pushing his glasses up his nose. I wanted to take those damn glasses off his face and crush them with my boot, but I resisted. Boot prints were evidence, or so Alice had warned during the briefing she'd held earlier.

"So tell me your side of things," I offered.

"Well, I…She…And then…" he stuttered, his eyes wild as he looked to Jasper, Rose, and Alice for help. Rose and Alice were keeping their promise and they were standing under one of the bright street lights, pretending to be engrossed in oohing and awing over Alice's handbag. Jasper was at the mouth of the alley, his arms folded in front of him and his face set in a menacing scowl—I was impressed.

"Sounds to me like you're fresh out of lies," I told James. "And what a coincidence! I'm all out of patience," I snarled, leaning my face into his. "I'll give you a choice, James. You can leave with a few broken ribs and a very black eye to remind you why you've promised to stay away from my family. Or you can say you won't and then I'll pick a few limbs to break to see if I can't get you to change your mind."

"You can't touch me. I'll call the cops. I'll sue."

"Call the cops. Tell them. And I'll say that I was with my wife and our family, enjoying a night out on the town. You see, James, what you don't know about me, is that I've beaten the shit out of a _lot_ of guys in my lifetime. I know exactly how and where to hit so that all of the bruises are on my target and not me. It's an amazing technique and I'm more than happy to share it in all of its various forms."

"I'll get your sister fired if you touch me," he said, his voice shaking with his fear.

I lifted my finger up to my chin, pretending to consider his words. And then I lifted that finger and pressed it to his forehead, knocking his head against the wall behind him. "Oops. I think I touched you."

"You won't get away with this," James promised.

So I decided to make a promise of my own. "James, let me point out a few things to you. You're all alone in Seattle. You probably don't write or call Mommy and Daddy very often. You don't have any friends. Hell, you don't even own a cell phone. Do you really think anyone is going to miss you if you disappear permanently?" I wasn't really going to kill the little idiot, but he didn't know that, and I wanted him to be more afraid of me than of anything he'd ever come across in his life.

"Oh, shit," Jasper laughed suddenly.

"What?" I asked, looking over at him.

Jasper laughed again as he pointed at James. "You made him piss his pants."

I looked down and sure enough, there was a dark trail flowing down his khaki pants. "Oh, James. I'm so sorry, man. I didn't realize you were so weak in the bladder."

"I'll go home. I'll fly out tonight. Just let me go," James blubbered, looking between Jasper and me. "I'll transfer my school and everything."

"I could believe you and just let you go. But then I think about all the things you've already lied about and I just can't seem to trust you, James."

"So…so what do I do? What will you believe?"

"Incentive."

"What? What do you mean _incentive_?"

"Well, James, it's like this. If I believe you have enough incentive to stay away from my family, then I can believe you and let you go. If there's no incentive, then there's no trust. And without trust, aren't we all just animals in this world?"

"What?" James cried, looking somewhere between confused and horrified. "I don't understand you. You're talking like a crazy person."

"Or maybe I'm just so smart your brain can't handle it and you assume I'm crazy," I replied. Now I was just fucking with the dude. And it was fun! "You know, if we were in the animal kingdom, I'd totally be a bear. All that fur and those badass claws. Yeah, I'd maul everything in my path. And you…Yeah, I think you'd be a chipmunk. A late night snack that gets caught between my teeth and I have to pick you out with this huge ass splinter my claws slice off a tree trunk. Yeah, that would be the way to go in the animal world."

"I should have just stayed away from her," James said, shaking his head and looking at his shoes. "I should have just did my work and kept my head down. I should have known it was too good to be true, that she couldn't like me that way. And now I'm going to die in this nasty alley that reeks of ass. This complete psycho, talking about bears, is just going to rip my head off and that'll be it. I'll be known as the headless alley guy."

"Are you emo?" I asked, messing with him a little more. "Are you prone to crying like a pansy?"

James lifted his head and stared at me with wide eyes. "What? What does that have to do with anything?" His voice rose with each new word he spouted out. "Look, can you just kill me already? The anticipation is going to do it for you if you don't act soon. Just…just don't leave my parents wondering okay? Just find some way to tell them I'm the dead alley guy."

"What? You think I would actually soil my own soul over you?" I asked him, making my voice sound offended. "You think I would end up in hell, away from my family, over your sorry ass? Dude, you're fucked up."

"But you…but why…What?" he stuttered, his whole face scrunched up in confusion.

With his face set so perfectly in position, I let my fist fly, connecting perfectly with his right eye and enjoying the satisfying "whack" of his head hitting the concrete wall behind him. "That was for making my sister cry." I gave a few quick double punches with both fists to his stomach as he struggled to get enough air in to yell out in pain. I behaved myself—I didn't break his ribs, but he wasn't going to be walking straight for awhile either. "Those were for Edward and me."

James grabbed his stomach and slumped down onto the wet ground, groaning and panting.

I squatted down in front of him and roughly jerked his head up by his hair. "Are we clear?"

"Yeah," he panted. "I'm going home. I don't even look your sister's way, much less talk to her."

"And tonight?"

"Never happened."

I smiled and gently patted his shoulder, probably enjoying his cringe a little too much, but hey! That's just me. "Good boy, James. I'm glad we could have this talk. And I look forward to _never_ speaking to you again." I stood up and looked down at him once more. "You know, James, you're probably a pretty likable guy when you aren't screwing with somebody's family. You should work on that. Find yourself a nice, unattached girl back home."

I turned and walked away, joining up with Jasper. He knocked his fist against mine and smiled. "Very nice. I was a little worried you were going to get carried away with your anger a couple of times, but you stayed in control," he said.

"And that's why I'm your favorite brother from another mother," I chuckled, slinging my arm around Jasper's shoulders.

We stepped out of the alley and joined our wives. "You two kiss and make-up?" Rose asked, giving me a sly smile.

"Jazzy sexed me up just right," I joked, puckering my lips at him.

He punched me in the side and pushed me away, giving me a kick to the back of my knee for good measure. "You're an ass."

Rose laughed as she wrapped her arms around my neck and pressed her body into mine. "Yeah, but he's all mine and I love the big bear."

"I love you, too, baby," I said, kissing her ruby red lips lightly. "I'm starving. Let's eat."

"Took the words right out of my mouth," Alice chirped from her spot in Jasper's arms. "I want a burrito and two tacos, and chips. Lots of chips. Oh, and some of that white cheese sauce. I _love_ that stuff."

"Pixie, you need to actually be sitting down with the waiter in front of you before you give the order," I joked, smiling over at Alice.

"Emmett, don't you have a little something to say to me?" Alice asked, smiling up at me.

"Yep. You're short, you shop too much, and you're down right mean when you want to be," I told her. And then I smiled. "And I love you for it, Alice Hale."

"And what else?" she asked, blowing on her nails and looking mighty pleased with her little self.

"Your plan was amazing, flawless, and worked as perfectly as you said it would," I said. "Thank you for helping me to fix that little problem for my baby sister. I owe you one."

"You certainly do," she chirped, wrapping her little arms around me. I was careful as I hugged her back, not wanting to squeeze her like I normally did. I had a little niece or nephew hanging out inside of her and I had to be careful with him or her. "Thank you," Alice said softly. "I know you did that as much for Edward as you did for Bella and I appreciate it so much, Em."

"I love them, too, Al," I said, kissing her spiky head. "Now, let's quit all this touchy feely crap and get some food. I need a burrito and a Corona."

"I am so getting a Margarita," Rose sighed, snuggling right up against me.

"Get two," Alice giggled. "Then you can drink one for me."

Rose leaned up and whispered into my ear. "I'll only drink one, baby. I have plans for you for later and they don't involve either of us being too drunk to enjoy them."

I leaned down and nipped her ear lightly. "I love you, Rosalie." And then I cupped her perfect cheek in my hand—and it wasn't the one on her beautiful face. "And your dirty little mind."

"For the millionth time, can you two refrain from that in front of me?" Jasper asked. "I realize you're married. I realize you do things together—some very sick and twisted things—but that doesn't mean I can handle seeing them."

"Sure, Jazz," Rose laughed, smiling at her brother. "We promise to behave for the rest of the time we're with you and Alice."

"Thank you," Jasper sighed, looking relieved. "That's all I'm asking for."

"Let's get inside and do some celebrating," I said, holding the restaurant door open for my family to pass through.

It had taken me a long time to put life back together again for Bella and me. There was no way in hell I would let anyone or anything screw it up now. If I had to walk through the fires of hell and wrestle the devil himself, I would do it twice. This was _my_ family and anyone who messed with them, was just begging to meet with my fists.

Rose's soft hand slipped into mine and instantly cooled my thoughts, leaving me to imagine what her plans for later on tonight might be. I was going to have to thank Bella and Edward twice for babysitting tonight. Yeah, I had a damn fine family I belonged to—my Swahallen family.

* * *

Wise words from Blinding Firefly: Learning from your mistakes is all well and good, but provoke not a brother bear to wrath, for you are crunchy and good with ketchup.

Hee Hee! Hope you all enjoyed!


	29. Alice's Birthday

Hello!!! Hope you all had a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Thanks to George for her beta help!

In honor of my little "cousin", BlindingFirefly's birthday, I give to you Alice's Birthday!

* * *

**DISCLAIMER:** The characters do not belong to me…they are all the creation of the wonderful Stephenie Meyer.

**Alice's Birthday**

**Alice's POV**

"Please, Alice. You know you want to. Please tell me," Bella begged for the…I stopped counting after five so who knew what number we were really on.

"Pregnancy makes you nearly unbearable with your impatience," I told her, trying not to smile. I was secretly thrilled she wanted to know my big announcement so badly. Probably because I wanted to tell her just as much. She was really going to kill me, though—she didn't understand how hard it was to wait for everyone to be together during dinner. Lily was napping, the men were painting, and Rose and Esme had gone grocery shopping for my birthday dinner later on tonight. My dad was at the hospital, checking on one of his patients.

"It's not my impatience that's increased. It's my curiosity," Bella replied with a giggle. She looked down at her rounded belly and ran her hands across it. "Isn't that right, Little Man? Mommy has curiosity enough for two now."

"I can't wait for my stomach to look like that," I said wistfully. I lifted up my shirt and showed her my bump.

"What the heck are you talking about?" Bella asked, looking confused. "Alice, you're only fourteen weeks along and your stomach is quickly catching up with mine—and I'm _twenty-six_ weeks. You're baby is of Emmett-sized proportions. I don't know how something that big is even fitting inside of your little body."

I shrugged. "He or she must have Jasper's long legs and needs the extra room."

"Or maybe your poor stomach just needs the room for all that food you've been wolfing down," she chuckled.

"Right," I snorted. "Because you weren't the one helping me to eat that gallon of ice cream last night."

"Ssh! Edward doesn't know," Bella giggled, looking toward the stairs. It was good to see her back to her old self—playful and enjoying herself.

It had been a month since Emmett's birthday party and James's twisted confession. The boy had at least been smart enough to follow Emmett's advice and he'd left town. Bella had felt awful and guilty that first week, having to mark him down with an unexcused absence each day. But then Edward had taken her away for the weekend. He'd whisked her off to Tacoma and took her to the Karpeles Manuscript Museum. Apparently, it was her sort of thing and she'd loved it. She'd certainly come home with a very different attitude and all of that guilt she'd been lugging around with her seemed to have melted away. I'd never seen her, or Edward, happier than they were right now.

"Alice, are you listening to me?" Bella chuckled, tossing a pillow at me. "Jeez! I make one little comment about shopping and you start tuning me out. Some best friend you are."

"Pregnancy space out," I shrugged. "Now, what were you saying about shopping?"

"Never mind. The important part is that we need more cookie dough ice cream," Bella said.

"Absolutely," I agreed. "Who should we send out for it?"

"I'd say Emmett, but since he was the one who ate all but a third of it before we could even find it, I'm pretty sure he'd just repeat his mistake."

"Gotta love your brother," I chuckled.

"So," Bella said, smiling as she hugged one of the sofa pillows to her chest. "Any clue on the sex yet?"

"It's phenomenal," I replied, knowing she'd been referring to my baby.

"Alice," Bella whined, tossing yet another pillow at me.

I caught it and laughed. "No, I still don't know about the sex of the baby. And I have ten more weeks before my first ultrasound that might be able to tell me."

"Don't count on it," Bella snorted. "We've tried twice so far to get a peek at this little guy, but we only see his butt. I've been pleading with him at night, though, when he's moving around and I know he's listening. I'm confident he's going to let us see tomorrow."

I got up from the loveseat and sat down next to Bella, putting my hand over my nephew. "Is that right, little nephew of mine? Is Monday going to be the lucky day? Are you finally going to behave and show your goods so your mommy can be proven right? I know it's fun to tease her, but it would mean a lot to your aunt if you could show yourself the right way tomorrow. I'll buy you something special."

"Alice, could you not bribe my son while he's still in the womb? You're going to do enough of that once he's actually born."

"You know me so well," I chuckled.

"You _are_ my best friend," Bella sighed, hugging me. She sat up straight and a huge smile took over her face. "Let's go check on them."

I smiled, shaking my head at her. "Edward's going to have a fit." We'd been given strict instructions to remain downstairs and away from the paint fumes.

"We'll wear those painters mask things and he'll have to let me stay just long enough to see the walls."

"It's your funeral," I chuckled as we helped each other off the sofa.

"Besides, I'm craving a chicken burrito like there's no tomorrow."

"Really? I want buffalo wings and blue cheese dressing."

"And fries."

"We have to have fries."

"No, _you_ have to get the fries and allow me to live vicariously through you. Salty foods don't agree with this little man so we can't have them until after he's born."

"I'll sneak you some."

"And give Edward a coronary? No thanks," Bella chuckled.

"He's such a party-pooper at times."

Her face broke out into a beautiful smile. "Yeah, but he loves me."

"Yes, he does," I agreed, giggling at her smile. It reminded me of how she'd been when she'd first fallen for my brother—giddy and ecstatic on a natural high of love and acceptance. "Here," I said, handing her one of the masks from the coffee table. "Put this on and then we'll toddle our way up those stairs."

With careful steps and a stop at each landing, we safely made our way to the third floor and the room that was slowly becoming a nursery for Edward and Bella's baby. She and I lingered in the doorway, unseen and unheard, just watching Edward, Jasper, and Emmett paint.

The three of them were singing along with the radio and banging their heads. Edward's hair was, of course, getting the biggest work out—it never had been much for staying in one place. Jasper's hair was really too short for this sort of thing, but he did it so gracefully that it was still fun to watch. And Emmett's brown hair flopped back and forth across his head as he shook his hips in time with the music.

_Your mouth, so hot_

_Your web, I'm caught _

_Your skin, so wet _

_Black lace on sweat _

_I hear you calling and it's needles and pins _

_I want to hurt you just to hear you screaming my name _

_Don't want to touch you but you're under my skin _

_I want to kiss you but your lips are venomous poison _

_You're poison running through my veins _

_You're poison, I don't wanna break these chains _

_Poison _

_One look could kill _

_My pain, your thrill _

_I want to love you but I better not touch _

_I want to hold you but my senses tell me to stop _

_I want to kiss you but I want it too much _

_I want to taste you but your lips are venomous poison_

I cleared my throat loudly, scaring all three of them and making them jump. "We sure hope you boys aren't singing about Bella, Rose, and little old me."

"Because if you are, our feelings would be very, very hurt," Bella said, playing along with me. She was learning well from Rose and me, tossing in a deep pout for extra effect.

Emmett snorted and rolled his eyes. "It's a song. Get over it."

"And if Rose was here?" I challenged.

"I'd be groveling on the ground at her beautiful feet. But she's not, so there," he said, poking his tongue at us.

"Real mature," Bella sighed, shaking her head at her brother.

Emmett shrugged his big shoulders. "Not my fault you girls can't appreciate the master of head banging rock, Alice Cooper. If you could, you would know 'Poison' is one of the best songs ever recorded."

"Jasper?" I asked, turning my head to see his face.

"What was the question?" he asked, smirking a little as he put more paint on his roller.

Edward put down his own roller and walked over to us. "While Emmett's not all that tactful, he is right. It's just a song. We wouldn't sing anything bad about the wonderful woman who married us."

"Suck up," I whispered, making Bella giggle.

"With that being said…Isabella Marie Cullen, if you don't get out of this room right—" Edward started.

Bella held up her hand and interrupted him. "Hold your horses, Tutor-boy. I just want to see. Besides, I have a mask on."

"Jasper? Emmett? Some help here?" Edward pleaded.

"So, Jasper, do you see the way my brush strokes flow next to the window frame without touching?" Emmett asked, turning his back on Edward.

"I see it perfectly," Jasper chuckled. He turned his head toward me and smiled sweetly. "Alice, just a few minutes, okay?"

"That's all I planned on, Baby," I replied, returning his smile.

"See, Edward?" Bella said, waving her finger between Jasper and me. "That's the way to get a nice reaction from your pregnant wife. Demanding she leave her son's room before even seeing it just ensures your torture later on."

Edward laughed as he took Bella into his arms and kissed her cheek. "I love you. Even when you make me want to tear my hair out."

Bella chuckled as her hands went up to stroke my brother's hair. "Don't do that, Honey. I love this messy pile you call hair. It's one of my favorite parts of you."

"I bet I know the other," Emmett said, making his eyebrows move up and down.

"Anyway," Bella said loudly, attempting to ignore her big brother. "This silvery blue is perfect. It really makes his bed stand out."

"As I knew it would," I chirped. After all, I had planned this room out, down to the last diaper and bootie—even if Bella hadn't let me buy the diapers or booties yet. She could be so stubborn! She said I had to wait until the week after the baby shower. She knew it was going to be huge and that she'd get lots of gifts and she wanted me to wait and see what she would actually need.

"Great," Edward replied, grinning at Bella. "Now get out."

"Fine, Mr. Grouchy," Bella grumped, taking her arms away from Edward.

His face softened and he hugged her. "Paint fumes, Bella. That's the only reason I want you to leave."

"Mask, Edward," she chuckled, letting his smile lift her mood.

"Goodbye, Love," he chuckled, kissing her forehead.

"Bye," Bella replied, shaking her head at him as she walked over to me. "Oh, Alice and I have food requests," she said, turning just a little to see Edward's face. "I want a chicken burrito with rice, chicken, tomatoes, lettuce and sour cream. No cheese. Be very specific about that. I'm not in a cheese mood."

"Yes, Ma'am," Edward chuckled. "And you, Ali?"

"Buffalo wings with blue cheese dressings. And don't let them skimp on the celery sticks," I told him. "And fries. A large fry, very little salt. I'm not in a salty mood today," I added. I hoped getting low salt fries would make it okay for me to sneak one or two to Bella.

"Jazz and I will handle the wings and get some for us," Emmett said. "Ed, you get the burrito."

"If it's okay with the ladies, I'd prefer for us to finish this first coat of paint before we leave," Edward replied, looking at Bella and me.

"Absolutely, little brother," I chirped. "We'll be in your room, watching a movie." I took hold of Bella's arm and we crossed the hall together. Once we were settled in her bed with all of those pillows propping us up just the right way, we both let out content sighs.

"This is heaven," I murmured.

"No, this is relaxation. Heaven would be if you were Edward," Bella corrected with a little laugh.

"And you would be Jasper," I sighed, snuggling further into the pillows. "My mother did a great job with this bed."

"Yes, she did. She has some wonderful ideas for the nursery too," Bella yawned. "They all compliment your ideas, of course," she added quickly.

"That's as it should be since she taught me."

"Yes, but you definitely take it to a whole other level."

"And you love me for it."

"Yep," Bella chuckled.

I took her hand and smiled at her. "Bells, I know you said you didn't want to talk about it again, but I can't seem to let it go just yet. I feel like I need to apologize to you."

"For what?" she asked, her forehead creasing up a little.

"For helping to cause you to feel like you couldn't talk to us about what you were going through with the pregnancy. We all just jumped right into focusing on the baby and your health. We forgot you might have concerns beyond that. And as your best friend, I should have been here for you."

"What was I supposed to say to you, Alice? Hey, our family is showering me with love and support, and your brother is the most attentive husband ever, but I hate the attention and want a few minutes to myself before I scream. And by the way, I'm not selfish at all."

"Yeah, I think that would have been the perfect thing to say," I said honestly. "It would have been easy to tell that you were frustrated and feeling a little lost and a _lot_ overwhelmed."

"How could I come to you with that, though? You were dealing with your own thing, even though I didn't know what it was at the time. You would have listened to my whining and absolutely hated me for it. I'd have been sitting there complaining about being pregnant when it was the one thing you wanted most. _I_ would have hated me for it."

"No, Bella. I could never hate you. You're my sister, and I love you. I can't promise I would have necessarily understood because of my own issues, but I still would have tried to help you."

"The guys are really doing a great job with the walls. And I didn't even see that much paint on the protective sheets," she said, forcing a subject change on us.

"They're putting the same care into that room that they put into Lily's," I told her. I could tell she needed me to let this go for now, so I would do that for her. I would be the best friend she should have had and that she needed months ago.

"I love her lavender walls," Bella continued. "If this had been a girl, I think that's the color I would have wanted."

"Mommy" came through the baby monitor in Lily's sweet voice. Bella and I exchanged a glance before laughing.

"Guess she knew we were talking about her," Bella chuckled. "I'll get her."

"Nope," I said, putting my hand on her arm. "Even with my odd proportions, I'm more balanced on my feet than you. I'll get her and be right back."

"Oh, fine," Bella huffed, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"Don't pout. Spend that energy on picking a movie for us to watch when I get back." I left the room and peeked in on the boys. They were laughing about something as they finished up the walls. They'd probably be out the door before I made it back upstairs with Lily. At least they would if they knew what was good for them—pregnant women should never be left hungry for long.

I opened the door to Lily's room and found her standing in her crib, a huge smile on her little face. "Hello, Princess."

"Amice," she chuckled, opening her arms to me.

"Alice. Ah-liss. Can you say it with the 'l'?" I asked, lifting her from her crib.

She smiled and nodded her head. "Amice," she said, looking so proud of her self.

I couldn't help but laugh. "Sure, Sweetheart. That's right." I brought her over to her changing table and laid her down gently. "No squirming around while I put a fresh diaper on you, young lady," I warned.

"Mommy?"

"She's at the store with Grandma."

"Daddy?"

"Daddy is with Uncle Jasper and Uncle Edward. And if he's smart, he's on his way to get food for Aunt Bella and me."

"Bee-Bee?" she giggled, clapping her hands together.

"You'll see her soon, Princess."

One diaper change and a fresh bottle of juice later, Lily and I were in bed with Bella. "There's my favorite little girl," Bella said, kissing Lily's cheek.

"Bee-bee," Lily giggled, snuggling right up into her aunt's arms. "Baby?" Lily asked, putting her hand on Bella's stomach.

"Yeah, he's still in there," Bella chuckled. "We have about fourteen more weeks before he gets here. And you're going to love him and take care of him, aren't you?"

Lily kissed Bella's stomach. "Love baby."

"That's right," I said, settling Lily between us. "You'll love all the babies in the family and take up for them. And don't you worry, Lily Bear, no matter how many babies we bring into this family, you'll always be the princess. That's your right as first born."

"You should know," Bella teased, smiling at me.

"You're just jealous," I joked, poking my tongue at her.

Lily looked between Bella and me and then poked her little tongue at the both of us.

"Nice, Alice. Glad you could teach her that," Bella sighed, shaking her head.

"It's fine. I'll blame it on Emmett," I chirped.

"Let's just watch the movie," Bella replied, trying not to laugh.

We were right in the middle of "moving it" with Lily during _Madagascar_ when the bedroom door opened and Jasper's voice rang out over the television and the baby's giggles. "Emmett, that's the most disgusting thing you've said yet. Why do you always have to be such a dickhead?"

"Jasper Hale," I yelled as Bella gasped and put her hands over Lily's ears.

"What?" he barked, turning his head toward us. As soon as his eyes landed on Lily, a look of regret filled his face. "I'm sorry. I didn't know she was in here."

Lily pulled on Bella's hands, smiling wide as she sang her newly learned word. "Dickhead. Dickhead. Dickhead."

Emmett rushed into the room, looking petrified, and lifted Lily up into his arms. "Princess, that's not a nice word. Let's say something else, okay? How about 'chipmunk'? Isn't that a chipmunk on the TV?"

"It's a lemur," Bella corrected.

"Lemur! There's a fun word," Emmett said, giving Lily a big fake smile. "Say 'lemur', Princess."

"Dickhead," Lily chuckled, throwing her little arms up into the air.

"Jazz, you are so dead," Bella chuckled.

Emmett's face fell as he looked over at us. "Rosie's going to blame me."

"I'll fess up," Jasper told him. "Don't worry about it."

"Maybe we'll get lucky and she'll have forgotten about it by tonight," Edward offered. "For now, let's just eat and let Lily finish her movie. She might find something in the movie she wants to repeat more than that particular word."

"God, those wings smell heavenly," I sighed, my mouth watering just a little.

The guys passed out the food and the six of us enjoyed our mid-day snack. We were careful to only give Lily a few things here and there, not wanting to spoil her appetite for dinner tonight. She was more interested in jumping on the bed anyway.

Once the guys were done eating, they headed back to the nursery to hopefully get the second coat of paint on before dinner. They had more than enough time as long as they didn't start arguing or playing around—avoiding those two things was almost an impossibility for them. But with Edward anxious to have the painting completed and Jasper looking for forgiveness for teaching Lily a naughty word, I had faith in them.

Finally, finally, _finally_, it was dinner time. I wanted to make my announcement right away, but Jasper said we needed to wait until my cake was in front of me. And because he had the perfect wish in mind, I was happy to listen to him.

Dinner was going well, with everyone enjoying the meal. My mom and Rose had made us a roast chicken with mashed potatoes, rolls, corn, and macaroni and cheese. That last side item was one that Bella had gotten me to fall in love with and it tasted better now than it ever had before.

"Bells, do our taste buds get better with pregnancy?" I asked. I didn't recall reading about that in any of my baby books.

"I don't know," she chuckled. "But some days, it seems that way."

"Lily, you need to take one more bite if you want cake later," Rose said, trying to coax her daughter to eat just a little more.

Lily shook her head no and pushed Rose's hand away.

"One more little bite, Lily," Rose pleaded.

"Come on, Lily Bear. Take one more bite for your mommy," Jasper said. "I'll make sure Aunt Alice gets you a piece of cake with a flower on it."

Lily looked up at Jasper and smiled wide—and I saw it coming before her lips even moved. "Dickhead," she yelled triumphantly.

Rose dropped the spoon and it clattered loudly against Lily's highchair tray, especially since no one else was speaking or moving. Rosalie's blonde hair spun through the air as she whipped her head around to look at Emmett. "What did you do, Emmett Swan?" There wasn't a grown man on the planet who wouldn't cower away from the look on her enraged face.

Emmett raised both hands up into the air and leaned back in his chair. "Not me. Not this time."

"It was me," Jasper admitted. "I didn't know she was in the room. I was arguing with Emmett and I spoke without thinking."

"And neither of you thought this was information I needed to know?" she asked, her cheeks bright red and her eyes narrowed as they darted between her brother and her husband.

"Well, she stopped saying it," Jasper replied. "We thought she'd just forget about it."

"Jasper, I expect this sort of thing from Emmett, but not you," Rose sighed, shaking her head. "What am I going to do? It's not like she understands why the word is so bad."

"You'll have to ignore it, I'm afraid," my father said, drawing all of our attention to him. "It's hard to do, but it's the only thing that works."

"And he should know," Esme chuckled. "He taught Alice to say a particular four letter word that is commonly used in reference to stinky piles."

"No way!" we all yelled. I hadn't even known I'd done that.

"How long did I say it for?" I asked.

My dad's face reddened a little as he looked from my mother to me. "Two weeks. You turned it into a Christmas carol and sang it for your mother's garden party. I do believe it's the only time Esme has ever considered divorcing me."

"We finally have something in common, Carlisle," Emmett said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "One of the few times Charlie and Renee ever grounded me was for Squirt overhearing something I'd said."

"Oh, no," Bella sighed, dropping her head into her hands. "Em, please don't."

"Bells, this is a great story," he said, smiling at her head.

"No, it isn't," she argued.

"So Bells was eavesdropping on her big brother one day while he and a friend were discussing a few finer points of life. This just happened to be the same day that our parents were taking us to the mall so Bella could chat with the Easter bunny and my mom could have a goofy picture of her two children with a dude in a bunny costume. So six-year-old Bella, with her pigtails and her stuffed dog under one arm, marches right up to the Easter Bunny, ready to have a chat with him. She sits down on his knee and smiles all sweet at him. And then she opens her mouth and lets it fly." Emmett paused and looked over at Rosalie. "You might want to cover her ears for this one."

"You can tell me later. She needs a diaper change anyway," Rose said, getting up and taking Lily with her.

When Emmett was sure his daughter was out of hearing distance, he continued his story. "So Bella's sitting on this poor, clueless Easter Bunny. She looks him right in the eyes and asks him a question I'm sure he's never been asked before or since. 'Easter Bunny, if you shit chocolate bunnies, does that mean Jelly Beans are your buggers?'"

"Em-mett," Bella whined. Even with her hands over her face, I could tell she was blushing—her ears were bright red.

"Oh, my," Esme said, barely keeping herself from laughing.

"Definitely worth a grounding," Jasper chuckled, bumping his fist against Emmett's.

"Finer points of life?" Edward snorted. "Really, Emmett?"

"What can I say?" Emmett shrugged with a huge grin on his face. "I've always been one to think outside the box."

"Emmett, as much as we love you, I'm glad you weren't here to teach Alice and Edward those things," Carlisle said.

Bella finally lifted her head, smiling at her big brother. "Wasn't that your longest grounding ever?"

"Yep," Emmett chuckled. "Two months of no television, no friends, and I was banned from touching Easter candy that year."

"Ouch," Jasper said with a smirk.

"It wasn't that bad," Emmett replied, smiling at his sister. His eyes were full of so much love for her that it almost felt a little private to witness it. "Squirt snuck me half of her candy the first chance she got."

"It was technically my fault. I should have asked you instead of the bunny," Bella told him.

"So was it as horrible as Bella feared?" Rose asked, coming back into the room with Lily.

"And then some," Edward confirmed, laughing a little.

"Jazz, I think it's cake time," I announced.

"Alice, you and Bella are the only ones who've finished dinner," he replied.

I smiled sweetly at him, knowing he would pick up on my feelings of frustration. I wanted to share my secret and I wanted to do it now; selfish, I know, but I was pregnant and entitled to a little bit of selfish behavior. "Jazz, cake."

"Right away," he said, getting up from his chair.

"And milk," Bella added.

"I'll get it," Edward offered, following Jasper into the kitchen.

"So is it the cake you want so badly? Or to tell that news of yours?" Rose chuckled.

"It's about sixty-five, thirty-five with news in the lead," I told her.

Jasper and Edward returned a few minutes later with my cake and a tray of milk glasses. I waited as patiently as I could while my family sang "Happy Birthday" to me, and then Jasper and I blew out the candles together, both making the same exact wish.

"Can I tell them now?" I asked, smiling up at him.

"Go on before you burst," he chuckled, kissing my lips lightly.

I clapped my hands and squealed as I turned my head to look at my wonderful family—a family I was going to help make bigger and more wonderful. "So we had our visit with my doctor on Wednesday. He was a little concerned with my weight-gain at first. But after looking at a few things, he concluded it was perfectly normal."

"Pixie, speak English," Emmett demanded.

I looked up at Jasper and smiled, taking hold of the hand he'd had on my shoulder, and then turned back to our family. "We're having twins."

"No shit!" Emmett blurted out with wide eyes.

Rose started laughing and pointing at us while Bella started crying and Edward attempted to calm his wife. My mother was also crying, leaning into my father who had a proud smile on his face.

"I think they took the news rather well," Jasper chuckled, pressing his lips to my cheek. "I love you, Alice. Thank you for the two little miracles you're giving us."

"Thank you for not freaking when the doctor told us," I said, laughing a little.

"Rose, why are you laughing?" Jasper asked. "I expected you to be happy, but you're more amused than anything."

"Because!" Rose replied, smiling wide. "The little pixie you married made sure I had a girl as my first baby. So I tossed a little of her fairy magic back at her and now she's having twins."

"Bella, why are you crying?" Edward asked softly, running his hands over her hair. It was growing fast and was now to the middle of her back.

"Because I'm happy," she sobbed.

"Makes _total_ sense," Emmett said, rolling his eyes. Rose was sweet enough to smack him for all of us.

"So that's my big news," I chirped, glad that everyone was pleased with my news. Not that I'd doubted they would be.

"Three babies this year," my mother sighed, wiping her eyes.

"We're going to be very busy grandparents," my dad chuckled. "Think we can handle it?"

My mom smiled and her green eyes sparkled as she looked up at my dad. "I think that anything is possible in this family."

"So for my birthday, she announces she's pregnant. For her own birthday, she tells us it's twins. What in the heck are you going to do for Edward's birthday next month?" Emmett asked.

Before I could answer, Jasper started to talk. "I'd like us to wait until after we've all eaten to open Alice's gifts, but there is one I feel she should have now," he said, completely surprising me. These babies were really throwing me off, but it was wonderful to be surprised and the reason for it was even more amazing.

"You know I'm always up for a gift," I teased, smiling at him.

He kissed my cheek and then disappeared from the room, returning with a circular tube, like the kind posters are put in.

"What in the world fits in that and has you excited enough to give it to me now?" I asked, taking the tube from him.

"You're going to have to open it and see, Ali," he replied, squatting down next to me. He helped me to pull the cap off and then shake the papers out of it while Emmett and Rosalie cleared off our end of the dinner table. Edward came over and helped Jasper to unroll the pages and lay them flat in front of me.

Now that I could see them, I knew exactly what they were. "Jasper, you didn't," I gasped, running my fingers over the beautiful lines before me.

"Of course, I did," he chuckled, placing a soft kiss on my cheek. "I'm going to have to make a few alterations for the babies, like moving these closets and having an adjoining door between the rooms, but other than that, this is your future home, Mrs. Hale."

"Jazz," I sobbed, latching my arms around his neck. "It's so perfect."

"Only the best for you and our family, Alice." He held me tighter and whispered softly, saying the words he'd professed to me at every new and exciting turn in our relationship..."I can only ever give you everything."

I pulled back and kissed his lips, hoping he could feel all of the wonderful things he'd stirred inside of me with his words and his gift. Looking into his loving eyes, I knew I had so much to be thankful for and so many wonderful people surrounding me. And now, I would have children to share this amazing life with. I'd always felt like I had a pretty lucky life and after going through the scare of possible infertility and coming out the other end with twins, I knew it was a blessed life. So that's why this year, as Jasper and I blew out the candles of my cake, the only thing we'd wished for was healthy babies.

And the best part of knowing I was having twins was that I was fairly certain my little extra sight wasn't as broken as I'd thought. I was still alternating between seeing myself with a little black haired boy and a blonde-haired girl, but now I believed that to mean I would be having one of each. Two beautiful children to add to our loving family.


	30. Proof

**DISCLAIMER:** The characters do not belong to me…they are all the creation of the wonderful Stephenie Meyer.

**Proof**

**Edward's POV**

Bella's strawberry scented shampoo filled my nose as I snuggled with her in our bed. She was sound asleep and although I had a lot to get done tonight, I couldn't seem to tear myself away from her. We'd had an extraordinary day together and I didn't really want it to end, even though it technically had the moment her beautiful brown eyes had fluttered closed.

Our day had started out with us waking up late and enjoying a lazy morning in bed. It was nice to have the semester over and be able to just lounge around with her. After dragging ourselves out of bed and dressing for the day ahead of us, we'd gone downstairs and made breakfast together—something we hadn't gotten to do together in months. Bella had been in the mood for omelets so that was what we'd had, with shallots, cheese, and just a bit of sour cream. She'd eaten all of hers and then finished off the last few bites of mine for me. Or as she liked to put it, the baby enjoyed those final bites.

Once we'd cleaned up the kitchen, we'd headed into town and toward Dr. Johnson's office. We'd been running a bit early, so we'd stopped at the baby boutique Bella had found the crib in and walked around. Bella was carrying around a notebook, creating a list for her baby shower, and we found a few items to write down. She was under strict instructions from Esme and Alice to ignore price tags and focus on what she wanted and needed for the baby. The shower was scheduled for the weekend after my birthday and it was going to be a major affair, with nearly all of my parents' friends scheduled to attend. Bella was pretending she didn't know how big it was going to be and I was doing my best not to laugh.

After leaving the boutique, we had headed over to the doctor's office where we were happily greeted by Mrs. Elliot. She'd oohed and awed over Bella's expanding belly, as though she hadn't seen us last week, or the week before, or the one before that. She'd also pinched and kissed my cheek, a habit she'd fallen into and one I didn't have the heart to break.

I smiled and closed my eyes, thinking about today's appointment. We'd had to wait a little longer than usual for Dr. Johnson—he'd gotten caught up at the hospital with a c-section for a breech baby that he wasn't able to turn. Mrs. Elliot had to assure Bella six different times that both baby and mother were perfectly fine and would be home before the week was over.

Bella was in the middle of grilling me for ideas about a birthday gift when Dr. Johnson had finally entered the room. "Edward, you're not playing fair," she complained.

"Does he ever?" Dr. Johnson teased, sitting down on his stool and rolling over to Bella's side.

"Occasionally," she chuckled.

"And what is he not being fair about?" Dr. Johnson asked.

"His birthday is just a couple weeks away and he won't give me any hints about what to get for him," she replied.

"I've already told you, I have all I want," I said.

Bella smiled and put her hand against my cheek. "There must be something, Edward."

I kissed her palm and held her hand in mine. "Fine. Convince our son to be kind and prove that he is indeed a little boy. That's what I want."

Dr. Johnson laughed as he stood up. He rubbed his hands together to warm them a little and then started to press lightly around Bella's belly. "Any soreness or tenderness?" he asked.

"None. I've actually been feeling really good the last couple of weeks."

"Probably because you're done with the semester and have had a daily stress removed," Dr. Johnson said as he rolled the ultrasound machine over. "I looked at your numbers on the way in and everything looks great. Are you still having Carlisle monitor your blood pressure at home?"

"Yep," Bella nodded. "Twice a day. Haven't had any spikes since that cold I had around Em's birthday."

"Excellent. Are we ready to try this one last time? If he doesn't show himself this time, Bella, we probably won't catch it before he arrives. You're almost at twenty-eight weeks and you're only going to have one more appointment with me. After that, the next time we see each other, I'll be bringing this baby into the world."

"We had a long chat last night while we counted his kicks," Bella said, smiling at her doctor as she squeezed my hand. "I'm positive he's going to behave today."

"You know the drill. The gel will be cold, the screen will be a little fuzzy, and then we'll see where he's laying and how." Dr. Johnson squeezed some of the gel onto Bella's stomach and then spread it around with the wand.

The three of us stared at the screen as a foot appeared. "There's that foot that's been kicking you," I chuckled, kissing Bella's cheek.

"A perfect little foot," she said, smiling wide.

"He's got his foot at your side with his little toes poking outward, so unless he's performing some acrobatics, he should be faced the right way today," Dr. Johnson said, keeping the wand over the baby's foot. "Are you sure you want to know?" he asked, looking down at Bella.

She only smiled wider, daring him with her eyes to continue to tease.

Dr. Johnson laughed lightly and moved the wand up…over the baby's knee…a little further up…

And now we were looking at proof that Bella had been right all along and our baby was definitely a little boy. Bella squealed loudly and actually managed to hurt my hand a little in her excitement. "I knew it," she cried. "I knew he was a boy."

"Yes, you did," I laughed, kissing her temple. "And now you can finish your list for the baby shower, writing down everything blue that you come across and love."

With a picture as her proof, Bella practically floated out of the office, anxious to call everyone and share her news. She'd spent nearly an hour on the phone just with Alice, going over the things she wanted to start getting done with the nursery. As sure as Bella had been that she was right, she'd wanted to wait for absolute proof before buying the rest of the items she would need.

When she'd finally finished all of her calls, including getting to talk to Angela, Bella had decided we should have a picnic at our favorite spot in the yard. It was more of an excuse to sit in the sun than anything since she wasn't hungry for more than fruit and yogurt, but the thought was what mattered—and her thought was that she wanted a quiet afternoon in the sun with her husband.

We'd spent the entire time talking about the latest book Bella was reading and I was careful to not mention or reference the baby or the pregnancy once. Through all of our talks after the James incident, I'd found that the biggest issue for Bella was that she had lost a sense of herself because of the way I had been making everything about the baby. It was something every member of our family had been guilty of and we were all working to correct it.

When we'd got back to the house, we went into the baby's room with Alice's sketches to try and decide where we wanted the crib to go. Alice had said the crib would be the focal point and once we picked its location, it would be easy for her to know how to arrange the rest of the furniture. We hadn't been able to come to a decision, but Bella had enjoyed laughing as I moved the crib around the room by myself.

After that, Esme had stolen Bella to go over decorations for the baby shower while my father and I had picked up dinner for us all. Neither of us had wanted to be pulled into the discussion and spend the night staring at napkins in the same shades of blue and pretending we could see a difference.

With dinner finished, Bella and I had headed upstairs for the night. We'd enjoyed a quiet bath together, cleaned the room up a little, and now we were in the bed, with Bella fast asleep. I opened my eyes and looked at her peaceful face, still not really wanting to leave her side. But the clock showed just how late it was getting and I knew I needed to get out of the bed if I was going to finish the last few items on my list for the day. I didn't want to wait until tomorrow and chance forgetting something.

I slid out of the bed, tucking the blankets tightly around her to keep her warm, and then settled onto my sofa. I picked up the baby book from the stand and flipped to the page where Bella and I had added today's picture. I grabbed my pen and wrote a few little notes about the visit and Bella's reaction to the picture—I was saving most of my observations for her journal. I put the baby book back in its usual spot and then snuck over to my nightstand, pulling out the journal I kept hidden there.

I'd originally thought the journal would just be about the pregnancy and the excitement over the baby. In reality, it was so much more. It was the story of our journey to not only accept, but embrace the pregnancy, parenthood, and the people we were becoming because of our experiences. And while it was slightly biased since it was only my point of view, I liked to think that I was doing what I could to keep it honest.

As I flipped through the pages, looking over my notes, I wondered if maybe it was a little too honest with the entries about James and our arguments. But then I realized that if our son could read this one day and see our mistakes, then maybe he could learn from them and not repeat them. One thing I absolutely wanted for him was to teach him how to be a real gentleman and to value his partner in all ways—something I was still learning myself.

_Today was an amazing day, little man. You were finally turned the correct way, making your mother so immensely proud that I'm sure she'll be smiling wide for days to come. Watching her put your picture into your baby book was highly amusing since she was dancing in place on the sofa while singing "I told you so" over and over. She's very happy and I am relieved to see her so ecstatic._

_I've written a few times—okay, maybe a little more than a few, but the amount doesn't matter, only the end product. James is no longer in our lives. Two weeks after our lunch with him, I received a letter postmarked from Minnesota. He was writing to let me know he would not be returning and that he was sorry for any problems he had caused. He also asked that I not mention his letter to Bella; he was worried about accidentally upsetting her. But I told her anyway, not wanting there to be any more secrets or unsaid words between us. She'd taken the news better than I had expected, choosing to rant and rave about the stupidity of men instead of letting the guilt come back. In case I haven't mentioned it before, your mother is an amazing woman._

_These will be the last words I write about James. I want you to know what your mother and I have learned from this experience. First, it's vital that you not only listen to your partner, but you "hear" what she is saying to you. One of the reasons your mother was so adamant about being friends with James was because I wasn't hearing what she was saying, and therefore, I wasn't giving her what she needed. As happy as she is that you are coming into this world, she misses her normal independent self. And because your father has the tendency to be an overprotective idiot, my behavior immediately stripped her of her independence instead of allowing her to gradually get used to it and relinquish it on her own terms. The second thing you should know is to never, ever be an overprotective idiot like your father. It's important to watch over and protect your family, but there's a line between guarding the ones you love and controlling them. Third, never take any member of your family for granted, and if you do, correct it right away—that one is from your mother. And the most important thing I've learned from this experience is that the love your mother and I share is strong enough to withstand anything as long as we want it to be. My biggest wish for your future is that you someday experience this sort of love._

_On to other news…Your Uncle Emmett and Aunt Alice have been getting along extremely well lately, which just makes your mother and I very suspicious. The only time your aunt and uncle see eye-to-eye is when they are up to no good. Uncle Jasper has said it's just the pregnancy making Alice softer, but I know my sister too well to believe that. I'll eventually get the information from her, I'm sure._

_Your mother had a wonderful time teasing me today. She had me push your crib around the room, pretending she was actually trying to decide where it should go. I'm sure the first couple of times were honestly for decision making purposes, but after that, she was giggling too much to be serious. But since I love the sound of your mother's giggles, I put up with it. Son, I warn you now...falling in love with a woman will make you do crazy things and as long as she laughs or smiles, you'll find it worth it._

_She's sleeping now, looking like an angel with her hair covering side of her face. You both seem to be very healthy and happy right now and I'm grateful for that. Your mother keeps asking me what I would like for my birthday. She doesn't seem to believe me when I say I have everything I want, but I do. I have her and you, both of you healthy and here. How could I not be satisfied with life? I'm sure that's going to seem a little odd since just last month I was writing about feeling lost. But at that time, I felt like I was losing your mother. I can handle anything life throws at me, but I could never do it without her. If I ever lost her…Well, that's not going to happen so there's no point in even thinking about it. You and I will love her and take care of her for a very long time._

_Grandma Esme and Aunt Alice are in heaven planning your baby shower. They've rented a large room at one of the local hotels and they are having the affair catered. Your mother isn't thrilled about the size of the party, but once it gets underway, I'm sure she'll enjoy herself. Aunt Alice has promised to take tons of pictures so that we can put them into your baby book. This is one party that the men in the family get to skip and Uncle Emmett has scheduled us for a day of paintball. Grandpa Carlisle is even going to join us._

_It's late and I'm missing your mother so I'm going to end here for tonight. Angela and Ben are supposed to come and visit on Saturday, so I'm sure I'll have a few things to write on that night. I called them and explained how much your mother had been missing them. Angela immediately moved a few things around so that she could come. Just further proof of how very loved your mother is by the people who know her. I look forward to watching you bond with her and I know you will love her just as much as the rest of the family does—no one will ever love her more than me. Good night, little man. Thank you for letting your mother have the proof that you are indeed a beautiful little boy._

I closed the leather journal and returned it to my nightstand. Bella was still asleep, but her forehead was lined, meaning she either wasn't comfortable or was slowly realizing I wasn't next to her. I quickly turned off the lamp and got back into bed, hoping to keep her from waking if it was the latter reason.

Bella immediately grabbed my shirt, using it to pull herself closer to me. "Put a ring on my finger and you're suddenly over your fear of my brother?" she giggled.

I chuckled quietly, knowing she was dreaming about our wedding night. What an amazing night that had been. She'd looked so beautiful in her dress, holding onto my hands and looking at me with those brown eyes of hers, so full of love for me.

"I love you. Thank you for making me your wife," she whispered, a goofy smile on her sleeping face.

I put my lips to her ear and whispered the same words I'd replied with on our wedding night. "I love _you_, Bella Cullen. Thank you for loving me enough to be my wife."

The next morning, we awoke at the same time to the sound of someone knocking impatiently on our bedroom door. I had a pretty good idea that the person was small, black-haired, and related to me.

The door opened and my sister stepped in cautiously, her hand over her eyes. "Hello? Are you awake? More importantly, are you decent?"

"Absolutely not," Bella replied, managing to keep a straight face. "Your knocking interrupted a round of wild, passionate love-making and we would appreciate it greatly if you could back out of the door so we can finish."

And then Bella's lie was ruined by her giggle and Alice's fingers spread just enough for her to peek out between them. "You are such a liar, Bella Cullen," she huffed, dropping her hand from her face and setting it on her hip.

"What do you want, Pixie?" Bella chuckled, patting the bed for Alice to come and sit. "What has brought you here on this fine Thursday morning?"

"We need to finish that list for the baby shower. And we also have some stuff to do for the nursery," Alice explained as she sat next to Bella.

"Is that code for you need her help in plotting a surprise birthday party that I don't want?" I asked as Bella settled her head into the crook of my arm. Apparently, she wasn't planning to actually leave the bed anytime soon—and that was just fine with me.

"No," Alice replied too quickly for me to believe her. "We are focused on the baby, not his party-pooper father."

"Right," I chuckled.

"By the way, Esme is waiting for you."

"For what?" I asked, not aware of any plans with my mother.

"You're helping her to clean out the attic. She has a few things she wants me to have for the babies and I'm in no condition to be up there helping her. So I volunteered you for it."

"What about your husband?"

"He's working," she replied, making the words sound a lot more like a loud "duh" than what she had actually said.

"Edward," Bella said sweetly, running her fingers along my jaw.

"Fine," I sighed, completely defeated just from the way my wife had said my name. "But I'm having breakfast with my wife first," I told my sister, daring her to argue.

"As if there was any question of that," Bella sighed, hugging me the best she could from the way she was laying.

"So can I tell Mom you guys will be down in half an hour?" Alice asked as she stood.

"Yeah, that sounds about right," Bella replied.

"Want me to have her make anything for breakfast?"

"If it won't cramp your plans too much, I'd like to make breakfast with Edward."

"No, that should be fine. I was planning to stay the whole day anyway." Alice grabbed the handle of the door and started walking out. "Half an hour," she called just before closing the door completely.

"She's so much more mellow and agreeable pregnant. How odd?" Bella remarked, looking up at me with her beautiful brown eyes.

"The babies must have Jasper's temperament," I said, kissing her forehead.

Bella gave me a coy smile as she touched my jaw with her fingertips. "You know, we can't have that wild, passionate love-making I was teasing Alice about, but the slow and sweet kind that I love best would be nice."

"Are you sure you have enough energy for that _and_ Alice?"

Bella sighed and pouted, snuggling herself closer to me. "Yeah, you're right. But can I have a rain-check for tonight?"

"Complete with warm bubble bath afterwards," I assured her.

"You are so amazingly wonderful and I love you."

"I love you, too, Bella. So what would you like to do with our time this morning?"

"Nothing. Absolutely, gloriously peaceful, _nothing_."

"You're breathing. That's something," I teased.

"Cullen, it's a bit early in the morning to start teasing your wife," Bella warned, giving me a playful glare.

"I'm so sorry, my love."

"No you're not," she giggled.

"Okay, maybe not, but I love you."

"Do you think the baby will like and dislike the same foods as us?" Bella asked suddenly.

"Do I even want to know where that seemingly random thought came from?" I chuckled.

"Well, I was thinking about breakfast, which made me think about Emmett, which lead me to bacon and how much you and I don't like it. And then I pictured myself having to wear nose plugs to cook it for our baby because he loved it and wanted to eat some."

I did my best not to laugh again as I replied to her little rant. "First of all, the baby won't know he likes or dislikes bacon unless he comes across it. And as a baby, he can't be near something like that until he has a few teeth, so you have some time before you have to worry about it. Lastly, if he does end up liking bacon, it will be a discovery his Uncle Emmett makes. Therefore, it will forever be his duty to supply his nephew with bacon, away from our home and noses."

"Speaking of our home…have you heard anything new from Heidi? Not that I'm in a rush," she added quickly. "I like the idea of having Carlisle and Esme to help at the beginning, and the nursery is really coming together and I know the baby will love the room."

"Heidi has a place to show me next week."

"You say that like I'm not coming."

"Well, it's a house that's still under construction and not very safe for a beautiful, amazing, wonderful, pregnant woman who I love," I replied, kissing her between each of the adjectives I used to describe her.

"You are _so_ cheating," she sighed, relaxing further into me. "So how long will I be without you?"

"A couple of hours, maybe. But you won't notice. Rose and Lily are coming that day to hang out with you."

"You already planned it all out? When were you going to mention it to me?"

"Today, over lunch. But since our plans have been altered by our dear Alice, I'm telling you now."

"Alright, Cullen. I guess I could let this sneakiness of yours slide just this once. But don't think for a second you can make a habit of it."

"I wouldn't dream of it, Bella. I love sharing everything with you," I promised, holding her a little tighter.

She grabbed my hand, putting it on her belly as she giggled. "Either he hasn't gone to sleep yet or he's decided to wake up early with us, but either way, his little legs are going strong right now," she said quietly.

I sat up, lifting her shirt and placing a kiss on her belly. "Good morning, little man. Did Aunt Alice wake you with her exuberance? Or did she just wind our little night owl up further?"

"Daddy, he loves your voice already," Bella said, touching my cheek and drawing my eyes to hers. She had a huge smile on her face as she looked at me. "He always responds to it."

"He responds to yours as well, Love. You just tend to calm him where my voice is deeper and gets him curious."

"You think he has my curiosity?"

"Why else would he choose to have such an odd schedule? He's awake in the afternoon and night when our family is around us and there are so many voices to hear."

"Yeah, but he's awake at those times even when it's just you and me."

"Which just further proves that he already loves his mommy and daddy."

"I know I've struggled with this pregnancy and all the changes, but I really am excited to have this baby with you, and to have him here so we can hold him."

"And watch our family spoil him rotten," I chuckled, moving so that I was holding Bella again.

"But we'll keep him from getting rotten. We'll teach him to appreciate everything he gets and to work hard to have the life he wants. Just like we've been learning together."

"I know it hasn't quite been half an hour, but would you mind us getting up and starting our day now? I don't know about you, but I'm starving this morning."

"Yeah, I think the baby and I could eat," she giggled, letting me help her up from the bed.

Bella and I got dressed and headed downstairs, where we found my mother and sister sitting in the kitchen and chatting about the house Jasper had designed for Alice. He had found a piece of property not too far from Emmett and Rosalie, and construction was scheduled to start in a few weeks. We were all very excited to see his plans come to life.

After making and eating French Toast with Bella, I headed back upstairs with my mother. "So how did Alice convince you to clean the attic just for her?"

"It's not just for her," my mother chuckled. "I have a few things I want to find for her babies and one I'm still searching for, for yours."

"Really? What is it?" I asked, both curious and shocked.

"Your old wooden rocking horse. I know it'll be awhile before the baby has any use for it, but I thought at the very least, it would be a wonderful decoration for the room."

"I had a rocking horse?"

"Yes, you did. You used to spend hours on him, rocking back and forth while watching me cook or clean. Long before you wanted to be a piano player, or a music teacher, you wanted to be a cowboy. But when I told you that it would require you moving south and there would be no snow in the winter, you promptly gave up on that career choice. Silver started to collect dust so your father moved him into the attic somewhere."

"Silver?" I chuckled.

"Did I forget to mention the hours you spent on your horse, the two of you watching the Lone Ranger and his own trusty steed?" my mother said, smirking at me. "It was no surprise to your father and me that you named your horse the same as that masked ranger. You were so imaginative when you were little, and then you suddenly became very practical. I worried it was because we'd started you in school too early, but your father was convinced you were more like him than we'd first thought. He swore he'd been the same way when he'd been a small child."

"Would you have preferred me to stay imaginative?" I asked as we entered the attic door.

My mother stopped and turned toward me, smiling as she put her hand on my shoulder. "Son, I love you just as you are. It's never occurred to me to wish for you to be anything but happy and healthy. Aside from those two things, everything else is rather unimportant. I can put up with the most practical son, one who wouldn't even let his child believe in fairytales or Santa, just so long as he was happy and healthy."

"No you wouldn't," I snorted. "You love Christmas and all those other occasions too much to allow such a travesty."

"Exactly," she chuckled. "Which is why I know that for your own son's sake, you're going to learn to enjoy your own birthday again. Not because you want a party, but because you want your son to be able to celebrate a day he believes is extremely important. You know, that same reason that gets you to help Alice plan my birthday party every year."

"The women in my life are so good at forcing me to do things," I chuckled.

"All for your benefit, son."

"Where should we start?" I asked, looking around at all of the boxes up here.

"Let's start at the back and work our way forward," she suggested.

An hour later, it hardly looked like we'd made a dent in the mess. The only clue that we were even working was the light coating of dust on our clothes and the bigger pile on the floor.

"Oh, my gosh!" my mother gasped suddenly.

"Are you okay?" I asked, getting up and heading toward her.

"Fine," she sniffled, holding something blue against her chest.

"What did you find?" I asked, trying not to laugh too much. All the women in the family had been weeping an awful lot lately.

"It's your baby blanket, Sweetheart. My Aunt Elizabeth was so certain that I would have babies, she made me one pink lace blanket and one blue. You were so tiny when we first brought you home and wrapped you up in it."

I sat down next to her, touching the edge of the blanket. And then I asked Esme a question I'd always wondered about but had never felt right asking. "Mom, what was it like for you when you brought me home?"

"It was…a struggle," she said, giving me a sweet smile. "I was so happy to have you here, healthy and home, but I was angry too. I didn't understand why it should have been so difficult or why we'd had to come so close to loosing each other. Plus, I was in pain from the surgery and I was too tired to really care for you in those first couple of weeks. Everything about it made me angry."

"How did you manage to stop being angry? I hardly even recall you ever raising your voice to Alice or me."

"It took a long time, and a lot of support from your father. But eventually, I knew I had more to be thankful for than I had to be angry about. Being home with you and Alice, watching you grow and learn, those were such wonderfully special days for me. When you are busy living your life, you don't have enough time to worry about the 'should haves'."

"So do you think this blanket is in good enough shape for you to swaddle your grandson in?" I asked, wiping away her stray tear with my thumb.

My mother leaned forward and kissed my cheek. "I'll make sure of it, Edward."

"Thanks, Mom," I said, pulling her into a hug. "I hope I have your patience and wisdom as a parent."

"I'll make sure of that, too," she chuckled. "Now, let's get this attic finished so we can join your wife and sister downstairs." She kissed me once more and then stood, using my shoulder for support. She crossed the room and laid the blanket on the railing for safekeeping before turning and attacking a new pile of boxes.

No matter how many times I thought I understood how strong and amazing my mother was, she said or did something to show me I had only the basest of ideas. No wonder my father was still crazy in love with her after all of these years. I could only hope my marriage to Bella would be so amazing in the future, and do everything I could to help it become so special.

* * *

So there we have it!! Bella's been right this whole time and now has her proof!

Thanks to George for her beta skills, and to Lizbre and colourmecrayola for bouncing ideas with me. I'll be back with more chapters next weekend as we move closer to the birth of Edward and Bella's baby!


	31. Edward's Birthday

**DISCLAIMER:** The characters do not belong to me…they are all the creation of the wonderful Stephenie Meyer.

**Edward's Birthday**

**Bella's POV**

Watching Edward sleep never seemed to get old or boring for me. I loved the way his hair spread out in different directions. I loved when he smiled in his sleep and his dimples showed up. I loved the rise and fall of his chest with his strong, steady breaths. I really did love everything about this wonderful man.

Today was Edward's birthday and I was so excited about the day we had planned for him. He didn't care for the attention of a big party anymore than I did, so I'd fought with Alice and _won_. Every part of Edward's day had been planned out by me, and the family was going to help make sure everything on the list happened.

Emmett and Jasper were in charge of this morning's activities. They were going to take him out for a big, greasy breakfast with coffee and then to the batting cages to work it all off. After that, they were going to take him go-kart racing. Emmett had suggested that one and after looking up the place with Jasper and him, I knew it would be perfect. Every inch of the place was race-themed; there were different tracks, and then there was a game room with a pool table and video games. It was paradise for their inner-boys and I knew Edward would have a great time.

Emmett and Jasper would have Edward home at exactly two o'clock in the afternoon—I knew this because I'd had the pleasure of listening to Alice and Rosalie explain exactly how awful life would be for their husbands if they didn't have my husband home on time. Esme and Rosalie were putting together a family lunch and after we ate, we would be opening gifts. After spending a few hours with the family, I would be whisking Edward away for the last part of his birthday—and hopefully, his favorite part. I knew I was up against stiff competition from that go-kart place, but I was pretty sure I'd still win.

"What on Earth are you giggling about so early in the morning?" Edward mumbled, turning on his side and cuddling against me. I was thirty weeks pregnant and too big to sleep comfortably while lying against Edward's side. On the plus side, that meant I only had ten weeks before I could lay eyes on my sweet little boy.

"Good morning, birthday boy," I said sweetly, running my fingers through his hair.

"Morning," he grunted. He lifted my shirt and kissed the rather large belly hiding beneath it. "Morning, little man."

"Oh, so the baby gets the sweet good morning and I get the grumpy one. How is that fair?" I asked, pretending to be annoyed.

Edward immediately scooted up in the bed and locked his lips on mine, giving me an amazing kiss. "_That_ was your good morning, beautiful wife of mine."

"Oh, yeah," I chuckled. "I definitely got a better one than the baby."

"So how many seconds do I have left with you before Alice bounces in and starts my day of torture?" he asked, helping me to sit up in the bed.

"Well, Alice won't be here until later. However, you still have to get out of bed in exactly ten minutes to shower and dress. Emmett and Jasper will be here to collect you."

"I'm not spending my birthday with you?" he questioned, looking completely shocked.

"We'll see each other when the guys bring you home for lunch."

"Bella," he pouted, even sticking out his bottom lip.

"Don't give me that face, Cullen," I chuckled. "Either you go along with my plans without a fuss, or I pick up the phone and tell Alice she can take over."

"Wait! Alice didn't plan this day?"

"Nope," I laughed, popping the 'p'. "I planned it all myself. And our wonderful family agreed to help me make sure it all gets pulled off."

"Are you going to tell me anything about these plans?"

"You'll have a great time."

"No hints?" he asked, smiling wide.

"None," I confirmed, smiling right back. "Now, give me a kiss like you mean it, help me out of this bed, and then jump into the shower."

"Any chance of convincing you to join me, Gorgeous?" he questioned, his emerald eyes sparkling with a mixture of love, lust, and humor.

"Sorry, Honey. Your very, very pregnant wife doesn't feel up to standing for that long. But she totally gives you a rain-check for after the baby is born."

"I'll have to keep that in mind," he chuckled, kissing my cheek sweetly. "What will you be doing while I'm in the shower?"

"Getting myself dressed and then waiting for you to help me down the stairs. So please don't take forever."

"And waste the few minutes I have with you this morning? I would never," he promised as he helped me get up from the bed. "Do you need me to do anything before I slip into the bathroom?"

"Just tell me my favorite three words," I said, smiling up at him.

"You are short?"

"Edward."

"You are clumsy?"

"Birthday or not, Cullen, I _will_ bite."

"I love you," he chuckled, leaning forward and kissing my lips lightly. "I love you more than I can ever say."

I smiled wide as I watched him disappear into the bathroom. I headed into our closet and found one of the comfortable dresses Alice had bought for me. I would be letting her dress me up tonight, so I wanted to spend the majority of my day being relaxed and comfortable.

As I headed toward the bedroom door, I could hear the deep rumble of my brother's voice. I opened the door and found him across the hall in the baby's room with Jasper.

"I'm telling you they really have a shot this year," Emmett was saying.

"How many away games do you have?" Jasper asked.

"Six," Emmett sighed. And then a big grin took over his face. "But with that new laptop Rosie bought me, I'll get to see my wife and baby girl no matter where I am."

"Are you guys ready to make sure my husband has a great morning on his birthday?" I asked, walking into the room.

"Don't you worry about little Eddie," Emmett chuckled.

"I'll keep him and Emmett out of trouble," Jasper promised.

"Thanks, guys. And please make sure he has fun," I told them.

"Don't you worry, Squirt. No man can resist the level of funosity we have planned for your husband," Emmett assured me.

"So who wants the honor of helping me down those lovely three flights of stairs?" I asked, laughing a little.

"I'll take you, Squirt," Emmett offered.

"That's probably wise," Jasper chuckled. "If we leave him up here, he'll bust in on Edward and start his day off in a bad way."

"So true," Emmett laughed, hooking one of his big arms around my waist. "So how is my little nephew doing?" he asked as we headed out of the room and toward the stairs.

"Em, it was so cool! He had the hiccups last night!" I squealed. "Edward had my shirt up—"

"Don't need the kinky details, little sis," Emmett interrupted.

"And whenever the baby hiccupped, you could see my belly move just a little," I continued on, ignoring my brother.

"I don't remember Lily having hiccups inside of Rosie. Then again, I missed a lot in those last couple of months with my job. It's really nice that Edward and you are both off together for your pregnancy."

"Yeah," I agreed with a huge smile. "Edward has really made the last few weeks special. I had so much fun with him when he took me to the manuscript museum in Tacoma."

"You two crazy kids," Emmett chuckled. "All the exciting places to go in the world and you end up in Tacoma."

"We make our own excitement," I said, teasing my big brother as he helped me off the last step.

"Ew, gross, Squirt," Emmett yelled, shaking himself next to me.

"It's so much fun to mess with you," I chuckled.

"Friggin' hilarious," Emmett grumbled.

"Morning, dears," Esme greeted as we walked into the kitchen.

"Esme, when are you going to run away with me and teach me all about experienced loving?" Emmett asked, wiggling his eyebrows at her.

"When you become man enough to handle all the woman you see before you," she shot back with a grin.

"Does Carlisle know how lucky he is?" Emmett chuckled.

"I'd say so," Carlisle replied from behind his newspaper. He was sitting in his usual chair at the kitchen table.

"Busted," I sang, waddling over and setting myself in my own chair.

"Morning, Sweetheart," Carlisle greeted, leaning over and kissing my cheek. "How are you and my grandson feeling this morning?"

"I'm pretty certain he's sleeping, and I know I'm starving," I told him.

"I have fruit, a little scrambled eggs, and some wheat toast for you," Esme said, putting the plate down in front of me. "What would you like to drink?"

"Milk," I sighed. "I am _not_ repeating yesterday's orange juice induced heartburn."

"Em! I've got him! Let's go before anyone can save him!" Jasper yelled out from the living room.

"That's my cue," Emmett chuckled. He quickly kissed Esme and me on the cheek, and almost went after Carlisle before wisely changing his mind and running out of the room. "Edward Cullen! Today you are a man!"

"I'm twenty-four, Emmett. I've been a man for some time now," Edward replied.

"Shut up and listen to your fun guide," Emmett said, immediately followed by the very loud shutting of the front door.

I laughed as I pulled apart my piece of toast. "I know he's going to have fun when they get to their destination, but I feel really sorry for Edward on the way there."

"What are your plans for this morning?" Carlisle asked, folding up his paper and putting it on the table next to his coffee cup.

"Do as little as possible for as long as possible so that I'm full of energy for tonight," I said happily.

"Is Edward suspicious at all?" Esme asked, taking the seat next to me.

"Nope," I chuckled. "You should have seen his face when I told him he was spending the first part of his day without me."

We heard the front door open and then Alice's panicked voice filled the house. "Daddy!"

"Could you please relax?" Rosalie pleaded. "You're fine."

Carlisle was out of his chair and heading for the living room before Esme even rose from her own chair. She helped me up and walked with me to join the others.

Alice was sitting on the loveseat with Carlisle kneeling before her, holding her hands. "…and then it came back but hasn't gone away since. Daddy, I'm scared."

"What's going on?" Esme asked, rushing over to Alice's side as Rosalie helped me onto the sofa.

"Alice is having cramps," Carlisle explained. "I'm going to take her to the hospital and have one of the on-call doctors check her over."

"Daddy, can't you just give me something?" Alice pleaded. "I hate hospitals."

"I know, Sweetheart, but you're having twins and I'm not medically trained to deal with that," Carlisle told her. "We'll just go in and get you checked out and I'll stay with you the whole time."

"Mommy, will you come too?" Alice asked, looking so scared and un-Alice.

"Of course, my daughter," Esme said softly, running her hand over Alice's hair.

"I'll stay here with Bella," Rose said. "Alice, are you positive you don't want me to call Jasper?"

"Don't even think about it. If it ends up being something serious, I'll call him. Until then, let him have his fun," Alice replied.

"He's going to have a fit when he finds out," Rose chuckled.

"I'm sure he will," Alice laughed. "But by then, the drama will have hopefully passed and it won't take much to calm him."

"Call us as soon as you know something," Rose said, walking to the door with everyone else.

"Love you, Alice!" I called out, hoping she would hear me.

"Love you, too, Bells!" Alice called back.

Rose closed the door and turned to me with a smile. "Looks like it's just you and me, kid."

I laughed and patted the cushion next to me on the couch. "So how's life with my big brother."

"Tiring," Rose sighed, sitting down and plopping her feet up on the coffee table. "But I wouldn't trade it for the world," she added with a smile.

"And where is my niece?"

"With a babysitter. Alice and I were supposed to be shopping this morning for a few last minute things for you for tonight. We'd barely gotten into the first store when the cramps hit her."

"Think she's going to be okay?" I asked, nervously biting at my lip.

"I'm pretty sure it's just stretching cramps. I had them with Lily, but since it was just one baby, I don't think it was anything near as bad as what Alice is feeling. I tried to explain that to her, but she's in that clingy stage so nothing was going to make her happy except for getting her here to her parents."

"I'm really glad she can do that," I said, meaning it completely. "I envy her for it, but I wouldn't want it to be any other way either."

"I felt the same way when I was pregnant with Lily," Rose admitted, putting her arm around my shoulders. "So you feel up to taking a ride with me to get my baby girl?"

"I would love it," I said excitedly.

An hour and a half later, we had Lily all buckled into her carseat in the back and a black bag resting between my feet on the passenger floorboard. Rose had decided that since Alice hadn't been able to make it to the store, the two of us should go. I'd been a little concerned about what they'd wanted to get for me, but the minute Rose had shown it to me, I'd fallen in love with it.

"So when we get back, I'll run upstairs and hide that in your luggage," Rose said, pointing at the bag as she parked the car in the Cullen's driveway. "Oh, good! They're back with Alice."

We got out of the car as quickly as we could and headed into the house. Alice was sleeping on the sofa and Carlisle and Esme were nowhere in sight. We checked the kitchen first, but it was empty, so we headed upstairs to Carlisle's office.

"Well he has to tell her soon. You can only hide something that large for so long," Esme said with a laugh.

"I don't know, Esme," Carlisle chuckled. "He's done a fine job so far."

Lily's excited squeal made our presence known. "Gammy!"

"Lily!" Esme cooed, holding her arms out toward her granddaughter. Lily had learned last week how to say 'gammy' and I'd never seen Esme looking prouder.

"How's Alice?" I asked, settling myself into one of Carlisle's leather chairs.

"She's fine," Carlisle assured us. "She's having cramps from the twins stretching out her small body. The doctor gave her a little something to take the edge off the pain and she's been sleeping since we got back about twenty minutes ago. He assures us there's nothing to worry about and that the medication he gave her won't harm the twins in any way."

"That's good," Rose said, nodding her head. "At least now Jasper won't kill us for not calling him immediately," she added with a laugh.

"Oh, you guys! Edward has definitely been missing his coffee," I chuckled. "He sent me a text message earlier and he is _so_ wired—it's too cute."

"What did he say?" Esme asked, grinning at me.

I playfully cleared my throat before reciting my text message. "Bella Cullen is the best wife to ever walk the Earth and I'm proud to be her husband and the father of her child."

"He's such a dork," Rose snorted. "But I admit to being slightly jealous of his sweet words. Emmett isn't capable of it, no matter how hard the big bear tries."

We looked around the room at each other before bursting into laughter. We'd all been witness to Emmett's attempts to mimic Edward's romantic ways—they were never pretty.

We spent the rest of the morning just lounging around the house until it was time to get lunch ready. The guys showed up promptly at two and we enjoyed a wonderful late lunch of cucumber sandwiches, mini-quiches, salad, and fruit—all healthy items so I could eat whatever I wanted tonight and not have to worry about it affecting me or the baby.

After lunch, we sat around in the living room, with Lily perched on Edward's lap and refusing to let anyone else hold her; I think she just wanted to help him open his gifts.

Emmett and Rosalie gave Edward a new father's survival kit. It was a red backpack filled with all sorts of stuff: there were three boxes of Kleenex for the crying I would do while my hormones sorted themselves out after the birth; a small pack of diapers and two "emergency" pacifiers for the baby; a first aid kit that Emmett said was for when Edward banged into a wall after a sleepless night with the baby; and a small frame that held a picture of Edward and me at our wedding party to remind us that happy times were ahead of us once we got used to being parents.

From Alice and Jasper, Edward received a week's worth of pants and shirts that Alice swore were stain-resistant and able to survive baby spit-up. Carlisle and Esme gave him an envelope that made him grin from ear to ear. When I asked what was in it, he said it was an account passport to a college fund they'd opened for the baby so that he and I could start putting money into it right away. Even little Lily had a gift for her Uncle…she gave him the little teddy bear she kept at the house, refusing to let him even put it down on the coffee table. I was waiting to give him my gift when we were alone.

While Edward cleaned up the wrapping paper, Jasper snuck upstairs to grab our suitcase. He came down the stairs with it just as Edward entered the living room. "Jazz, what are you doing with Bella's suitcase?" Edward asked.

"I'm just the delivery boy," Jasper chuckled, handing the bag over to Edward.

"You're birthday isn't over yet, Honey," I said, smiling at him. "You and I are leaving now."

"Where are we going?" he asked.

"Sorry, Cullen. My turn to hold all the answers and refuse to give you any," I teased, grinning at him. "Now, tell our family goodbye so that we can leave and get to our destination on time."

Edward shook his head at me, his dimpled smile firmly in place. Our family kissed us both goodbye and then we were in the car, heading toward downtown Seattle.

"So no hints at all?" Edward asked. We'd been driving for awhile now and were getting pretty close to our destination. I really hoped he wouldn't guess before we got there.

"None," I giggled. "How's it feel?"

"Annoying," he admitted.

"So are you having a nice birthday so far?"

"Very nice. Thank you, Bella."

"It really has been my pleasure. So what was your favorite part so far?"

"It's a toss up between the completely unhealthy breakfast and the look on Emmett's face when I beat him at pool."

"Oh, those are tough choices. But since it's so rare for any of us to beat Emmett at anything, I say go with that one for now."

"For now?" Edward questioned, his eyebrow arching up.

"Well, if everything goes according to plan, I hope tonight will become your favorite part."

"I'm spending the night alone with you, right?"

"I can confirm that without giving away anything."

"Then of course it'll be my favorite."

"You are such a cheese-ball, Tutor-boy. But I love you anyway. Now turn here."

"Here? Are you sure?" he asked, looking doubtful

"Of course I'm sure, Edward," I replied. "Turn and park the car."

He shrugged but did as I said. He found a parking spot near the doors and helped me out of the car before grabbing our bag. "Why are we here?" he asked as we started walking toward the doors.

"To spend the night," I said, trying not to laugh at him. He just looked so confused and cute.

"Bella, I—"

"Cullen, trust me," I demanded. "Let's just get checked in and into our room and I'll explain everything."

He held the lobby door open for me and then he started heading toward the check-in counter.

"Honey, where are you going?" I asked, not able to completely keep from laughing.

"To check in?" he said, sounding very unsure of himself.

I pulled the plastic card out of my purse and waved it at him. "Alice handled that already."

"I'm starting to have a sense of déjà vu," Edward said, smiling wide as he walked back to me. "Shall I guess at our floor and room number?"

"If you want," I shrugged, excited that he seemed to like this so far.

We rode the elevator up, holding hands and kissing lightly. "I love you," Edward said as the doors opened up on our floor.

"I'm pretty sure I love you back. I should probably research it more though before confirming it," I joked, laughing a little.

"You and that sense of humor of yours," he sighed. His smile wasn't fooling me though.

I slipped the card into the door and pushed it open, waving for him to go in first for a change. But he was my Edward and refused to step foot inside until I entered. And since it was his birthday, I gave in and let him have his way. "So are you about to burst with curiosity?" I asked, setting myself into the chair by the window.

"Absolutely. Will you please tell me what you're up to?" he begged.

"Well, I knew you didn't really want to do the whole big party thing and this is really your last chance to get away with that because we'll both have to deal with it for our son's sake for the next eighteen or so years. So I thought you should have an adrenaline filled morning with the guys, a relaxing lunch with our family, and then an intimate dinner with your wife. I also thought the perfect way for us to celebrate your birthday would be to remember the night I gave you my whole heart. So Alice rented the exact same room at this lovely hotel and we have dinner reservations at Campagne."

"You are absolutely amazing," Edward whispered between kisses. "Thank you."

"You like it?"

"I love it, Isabella."

"Good. Because you're going to leave with Jasper for a half hour."

"What?" he laughed, pulling back to see my face clearly.

"Well, I can't get dressed properly on my own and Alice is going to be here any minute to help. Jasper is going to take you to their place for you to change and get ready for dinner."

"Bella, you really don't have to go through that sort of trouble."

"I really want to, Edward. Please," I said, giving him a pout.

"Alright, Love," he sighed, immediately giving in. And before he could say anything else, there was a knock on the door.

Edward walked over and opened it up, letting in Alice just as Jasper dragged him out. Alice helped me into my dress for the night and did my hair and makeup for me, all while chattering away about how Jasper had reacted to her news about the cramps. I couldn't help but laugh as Alice told me about Jasper's impressive "putting my foot down" speech.

"And then," Alice giggled. "And then he actually had the balls to tell me that as his wife, I am required by marriage to notify him immediately of all of my health issues, and that it goes double for whenever I'm pregnant with our children."

"How many kids does he figure you'll have?" I asked, laughing still.

"He would like at least four."

"And you?"

"Four sounds like a good number." She stepped away from me and lifted her hand to her chin, giving me an appraising look. "Perfection," she said with a big smile. "Edward's going to flip."

And her timing was perfect because just as she got me onto my feet, there was a knock on the door. I felt like I teenager again, so giddy at the thought of how Edward might react to me. Alice laughed at me as she opened the door for the guys. "I hope you're ready for a night out with one of the hottest mothers-to-be on the planet," Alice said, waving the guys in.

Edward's jaw actually dropped when he saw me. I laughed and blushed, so happy that everything was going just the way I'd pictured it. My dress was black with a deep v-neck top and a flowing bottom that hugged my belly perfectly. It wrapped right beneath my insanely enlarged breasts and tied at the side, leaving me feeling both sexy and beautiful. Those were two really hard emotions to bring up when your belly entered a room before you did.

"Bella, you look…stunning, captivating, _divine_," Edward proclaimed, taking my hands into his and kissing my cheeks.

"We're going to head home and let you two lovebirds enjoy the rest of my baby brother's birthday," Alice chirped. She wiggled her finger at Edward and he lowered his head, letting her kiss his cheek. "Love you, little brother."

"Love you, too, Ali," he said, hugging her.

"You're so sweet," Alice sniffled.

"Night," Jasper chuckled, wrapping his arm around his wife and leading her out of the hotel room.

"Ready to go?" Edward asked.

"I need one thing and then we can leave," I replied. I walked over to the bed and pulled his wrapped gift out of my luggage. "I'll give this to you after we eat."

"More surprises?" he chuckled.

"Just a few more," I agreed. "But I'm pretty sure you'll like them all."

We made our way over to the fancy French restaurant Edward had taken me to for our first Valentine's Day, giving me the birthday my mother had never been able to. I'd managed to not only get us a reservation outside, but I'd even got the exact same table we'd had last time. Of course, Edward noticed right away and his dimples promptly appeared as he thanked me again.

We chatted about Alice and Jasper while waiting for our drinks and meals to arrive. Edward would peek over at the wrapped gift every few seconds and I could see in his eyes that he was trying to figure out what might be inside the small square box.

I decided to be nice and end his curiosity a little early. "Go ahead and open it."

"You said after we ate."

"Yes, but you're never going to make it through dinner," I chuckled. "Go ahead and open it."

Those dimples appeared once again as Edward pulled the gift into his lap and started removing the wrapping paper. You'd think that with as long as it had taken me to wrap it, it would have been a bit of a struggle for him to open it, but nope! He had that box open and the leather cuff in his hand in no time flat.

"This is beautiful, Bella," he said, turning the dark brown cuff over in his hands.

"See that design in the middle? It's a Celtic symbol and it stands for past, present, and future. Our beginning, our life right now, and our future with our son and whatever siblings he may end up with. It also stands for mother, father, and child, and hopefully when you look at it, you'll always remember just how much your family loves you…how much _I_ love you."

Edward quickly put the cuff on and then leaned over the table to kiss me. "Thank you, Isabella. I'll wear it proudly."

After our wonderful dinner, we headed back to the hotel and I disappeared into the bathroom, getting Edward's final surprise of the night ready. Only Alice and Rosalie would be able to find, and convince me to visit, a lingerie shop for pregnant women. It was a beautiful black lace gown that stopped just above my knees and felt like it was barely there. I took my hair down, letting the loose curls fall over my shoulders to hide my neck, knowing Edward would push them out of the way soon enough. Once I cleaned away all of the makeup and made sure the gown was still perfectly in place, I headed into the bedroom to give him his last gift.

Edward was standing in front of the windows, looking out onto the city and humming a tune to himself. It sounded like the song he'd been working on for the baby—he really thought I didn't know anything about it. He was always trying to surprise me with things, so I let him have his fun.

I stood at the edge of the bed so he would be able to see me as soon as he turned around. "Ready for your last birthday present, Tutor-boy?" I asked. He spun around so fast that I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing.

"You're trying to kill me tonight, right?" he asked, stalking towards me and filling me with butterflies.

"No. I'm trying to show you how loved you are."

His hands rested against my neck as he softly kissed my lips. "When I first saw you tonight, the last thing I wanted to do was go to dinner."

"Really? What did you want to do?"

"Help you get out of that sexy dress and into bed. If Alice and Jasper hadn't been in the room, I just might have tried to seduce you."

I laughed at that, shaking my head at him.

"You think I'm joking, but I'm really not."

"Well, Alice and Jasper aren't here now. And this might not be a dress, but I hope you find it just as nice."

"So does this mean I can unwrap my gift?" he teased, moving me toward the bed.

"It's your birthday. You can do whatever you like," I replied.

He smiled and lifted me up, making me squeal. "You act like I haven't done this a million times."

"No," I laughed. "I act like you've never done it with me having a giant belly." And then an odd thought occurred to me and I put my hand over Edward's mouth, stopping what was sure to have been an amazing kiss. "Um…wait!"

"What is it?" he asked, looking worried as he sat down next to me on the bed.

"Well…the baby…"

"What about the baby? Are you feeling okay?"

"No, I'm great. It's just…he's awake and all…do you think he's going to know what we're doing?"

Edward looked at me with a blank expression on his face for all of five seconds and then he erupted into laughter, his whole body shaking with it.

I grabbed a pillow and smacked him with it. "Edward Anthony, I'm serious! What if he gets scared by the noises we make?"

For some reason, that just made Edward laugh even harder—I smacked him again and he fell right off the bed, but the fall did nothing to stop his laughing. Watching his eyes sparkle in the lamp light and his face heat up with his silliness, I started laughing too.

"Jerk," I chuckled, throwing the pillow at him.

He jumped up from the floor and climbed into the bed, kissing my neck loudly. "Four years with you and I still have no idea what's going to come out of your mouth. I love you so much, Isabella."

"I love you, too, Edward," I said, caressing his cheek with my hand. "Let's end your birthday by showing just how much we love each other."

"Definitely good to be the birthday boy," he murmured, his lips tickling my neck as he moved upward. "Luckiest man ever," he sighed against my lips before giving me a searing kiss.

Yeah, this was definitely the way to spend his birthday. Alone…in bed…completely and gloriously naked Edward lying next to me. There weren't even words to describe how amazing it all was, but then again, Edward had always been great at not needing words to show me he loved me.

By the time I slipped on my regular pajamas and Edward pulled the covers over me, I was barely awake. I quickly got out the words I wanted him to hear, hoping they wouldn't sound too jumbled in my tired state. "I love you and I hope you enjoyed your birthday. I really wanted you to have a day you would like."

"I loved it," he whispered into my ear. "I love you."

And that was all I needed to hear to let go and enjoy a blissfully peaceful sleep filled with dreams of Edward laughing and of times we'd spent together in the past four years. We might be changing because of this pregnancy and our impending parenthood, but that didn't mean the changes would be bad. If we worked hard at it, we could have a future more amazing than anything we'd experienced yet. And that was the real secret to a long and happy life together—never taking it for granted and working hard to preserve it.

* * *

Happy Saturday, Lovely Readers!!

First of all, anyone wanting to see a pic of Edward's special birthday gift can find it on my website in the Our Little Man photo album. www freewebs dot com/jessealexander4/apps/photos/ - Or just use the link on my profile page.

Secondly!! We are getting closer to the birth of the baby, but NOT the end of the story. As long as these two keep talking, I'll keep writing. It's going to at least be as long as LLC was, so no worries there!

Third! To those wondering about Drama! The only drama left is the birth, and those daily dramas of being a new parent and trying to find a balance between giving your child enough attention and finding time for your partner. That may not sound like much for those that have never spent a lot of time around a child, or had one of their own, but trust me! That's drama enough most days. Besides!! This story is fluff and happiness, much like LLC was. And it's not as if Edward or Bella are perfect, so there's always **something** going on! And let us not forget to mention Emmett because he will pout for days if I forget to name him specifically. LOL

Tomorrow's chapter is the Baby Shower!!!!


	32. Baby Shower

**DISCLAIMER:** The characters do not belong to me…they are all the creation of the wonderful Stephenie Meyer.

**Baby Shower**

**Bella's POV**

Today was the dreaded day. Baby shower day. Alice and Esme were way too excited about it, and I had a feeling Rose was only placating me when she'd agreed with me earlier. Okay, so maybe it wasn't really dreaded and maybe I was a tiny bit excited for it, but my back and stomach were hurting and it was hard to be cheery under those conditions.

Not to mention that Alice and Rose had made me get out of bed early, wanting to have me dressed right away to make sure the outfit Alice had chosen still fit. I was thirty-four weeks and so disgustingly uncomfortable that the six weeks I had left seemed like a lifetime away. The last thing I wanted today was to be sitting in a room full of women fussing over me. But amazingly enough, my giant belly had managed to still fit comfortably inside of the dress and Alice did not have to worry about running out to buy me something new.

We'd originally planned to have the shower the weekend after Edward's birthday, but we'd had to reschedule because the twins' growing bodies were causing Alice to have really bad cramps. There was no danger to her or the babies, but it was very uncomfortable and left her unable to be on her feet for long. And now she was all better and we were having this shower.

Even though I was a little excited for it, I wasn't looking forward to the attention. So I was hiding out in the baby's room, sitting in my old rocker that Edward had cleaned and polished for me. I figured if I could remember how peaceful these moments were later in the day, it would help. Plus, I was trying to imagine what the room would look like once we were done with it. All we really had left was to have the shower and add all of the gifts to the room. That, and finally let Alice stock it with clothes and diapers.

"Bella, where are you?" Edward called, walking in the hall outside.

"Hiding," I chuckled, making sure I was loud enough for him to hear.

"And why is my beautiful wife hiding?" he asked, walking into the room. "I thought you were excited about the party."

"I was, until I woke up this morning with my back and hips hurting. And I keep getting a stomach ache on top of that," I complained, looking up at him. "Not that I'm going to skip the party or anything, but I figured since you asked, I would be allowed to whine a little."

His eyebrows arched up as his green eyes narrowed a little. "Bella, what do you mean by 'keep getting'?"

"Well, it goes away for maybe a half hour and then starts up again. It's really annoying," I explained.

Edward moved so fast, I nearly missed him. He pulled the door open all the way and yelled down the stairs. "Dad, get up here!"

"Why are you yelling for Carlisle?" I asked.

"Because I don't think you have a stomach ache," he replied, leaning out of the door and looking down the hallway.

"Well what other reason would my stomach have for hurting, Einstein?" I asked, feeling a little annoyed with him for yelling like that. He was probably going to scare his father for no good reason. "It was probably the orange juice that did it. I just figured maybe now that I was further along, it would stop giving me heartburn. But no, my favorite breakfast drink is no longer my friend. Stupid juice!"

"Love, it might not be the juice's fault."

"Then what else would it be?"

"Did you consider you might be having contractions?" he asked, giving me a sly grin.

"That's not possible," I replied, shaking my head and feeling a little frightened. "I'm only thirty-four weeks. That six weeks too early, Edward."

"It's very possible, Bella, but nothing to worry over," he assured me.

"What's all the yelling for?" Carlisle asked, with Esme and Alice hot on his heels.

"I think Bella might be having contractions," Edward explained as he walked into the room with them.

"How far apart are they?" Carlisle asked, kneeling in front of me.

"About thirty minutes. She thought it was a weird stomach ache," Edward said, chuckling a little.

"Not funny, Cullen," I hissed at him.

"Edward, behave," Esme scolded, smacking him for me.

"Oh, come on," he said, laughing again. "You have to admit, it's a little funny. She's the pregnant one, but I'm the one who thought of contractions as a reason for her stomach to be hurting."

"Edward, make yourself useful and get my bag from my office," Carlisle instructed.

"No, don't leave!" I yelled at Edward, grabbing his hand as hard as I could. "What if it really is a contraction?"

"I'll get it," Esme offered, already heading out of the room.

"Bella, you cannot be in labor," Alice fussed, crossing her arms in front of her bulging belly. "We can't reschedule again."

"All of you relax. It's probably just Braxton Hicks," Carlisle said.

"That was my thought, too," Edward added.

"What's that?" I asked, not liking the sound of it at all.

"It's called false labor, Bella. You have the contractions without actually going into labor. And seeing as your water isn't broken, I doubt you're really in labor," Carlisle explained.

"Why in the world is there such a thing as false labor?" I cried. "It's scary enough to know I have to go through the real thing. Why the heck does there have to be a fake one too?"

"I know you don't want to hear this, Sweetheart, but you need to relax," Carlisle said softly, squeezing my free hand. "The calmer you remain, the better it will be for you and the baby."

"Here you go," Esme said, entering the room and handing Carlisle his black bag. He pulled out the stethoscope he'd ordered special for me and pressed it to my stomach.

"Is he okay? Is his little heart beating right?" I asked nervously.

"Bella, you have to be quiet," Edward said, rubbing my shoulder lightly. "He can't hear over the vibration of your voice."

Carlisle moved the end piece around a little, listening closely as the seconds ticked by, making me even more freaked out. I closed my eyes and started practicing my deep breathing that Edward and I had learned about in our Lamaze class at the hospital. I wasn't sure it would really work during the delivery, but it had been helping to calm me lately.

"It's okay, Bella," Carlisle said reassuringly. "You can open your eyes."

"How is he?" I asked, biting at my lip out of nervousness.

"The baby's heart is strong and healthy, under no stress at all. I really do believe this is just Braxton Hicks, Bella. We'll keep a closer eye on you, but unless your water breaks, I see no reason to take you to the hospital."

"Yeah," Alice chirped, clapping her hands. "The party is still on."

"Shouldn't I stay home with Edward if I'm having issues?" I asked, praying for Carlisle to save me. I'd been sort of looking forward to the party, but now the idea of being without Edward was upsetting.

He looked at his wife and daughter before turning and giving me a sad smile. "Honey, you're clear for the party."

"Oh, this so sucks," I grumped.

"You are the only person in the world not excited by parties and gifts," Alice said, frowning at me. And then her eyes flickered to Edward. "Okay, the second person. If you're kid is three for three, we are in _so_ much trouble."

"Bella this is a special day for you and the baby," Edward said, having taken the spot in front of me that his father had vacated. "You should really go and have fun."

"But what if I go into labor for real and you aren't there? What if you miss it?" I asked him.

"Bella, you have six more weeks, Love. You're going to be fine," he said, trying to reassure me.

"But you're going paintball shooting with the guys and that's not anywhere near the hotel."

"But that doesn't matter because you aren't in labor, Bella," Edward replied.

I knew he had a point and I knew it was selfish of me, but I didn't want him to leave me. I'd been fine with the thought before, but now I wasn't. "I'm sorry, but I don't want you to go. Please come to the shower with me."

"Bella, he'll be the only guy and he'll be completely bored," Alice said, trying to help her brother out.

"Edward, please," I begged him. "I know it's silly because it wasn't the real thing, but that doesn't mean it wasn't scary."

"What's so scary about it?" Alice asked.

"How about the fact that I thought it was a stomach ache?" I replied. "I have no idea what I'm doing here. All I know is that I can't have this baby without Edward right there next to me."

"But you'll have my mom and me, and Rose, too," Alice said.

"It's not the same," I told her. "I know you guys you love me and everything, but it's—"

"Bella, stop," Edward said softly, squeezing my fingers. "I'll go with you."

"But, Edward, there aren't supposed to be—" Alice started.

"Ali, Bella needs me there, so that's where I'm going to be," he told her sternly.

"Thank you," I said, leaning forward and hugging him.

"It's okay," he cooed, rubbing my back.

"No, it's not," I argued. "I'm scared, Edward. What if I really do go into labor and I miss all the signs and it hurts the baby somehow?"

"That's not going to happen," he assured me. "Believe me, Love, you won't mistake your water breaking for anything else in the world. And that has to happen for it to be a true labor."

"Is Alice still here?" I whispered.

"No, she went downstairs."

"Do you think she's mad that I want you to come?"

"Probably, but don't worry about it. She just doesn't understand yet, but she will when her time comes."

I pulled back so I could see his face. "Am I being silly, though? I mean, I know your mom and Rose have had babies, so they know what to do."

"But as you told Alice, it's not the same as having me there."

"I wish my mom was here. I think I could be okay with letting you go if she was."

"Are you missing your parents again?"

"A lot," I admitted, nodding my head. "The thought of everything they're going to miss just sort of hit all over again the other night when Emmett and I were talking."

"Why haven't you said something sooner?"

I shrugged. "I thought it would go away again. And it was a little bit, but then when I didn't even think of contractions for my stomach hurting, it made me feel so unprepared and I know if my mom was here, I wouldn't be. She would have given me a play-by-play of every second of her pregnancy with me."

"And it's not the same if you ask Esme or Rose?"

"But that's just it, Edward. I don't know _what_ to ask. My mom knew me so well and she would just know exactly what to share with me. Edward, as childish as it sounds, I want my mother."

"I know, love," he sighed, lifting me up and setting me down on his lap. "I'm so sorry you lost her."

"I'm sorry I ruined your plans for today," I whispered, relaxing in his strong arms.

"I can go another time. You are much more important than any round of paintball could ever be."

"Thank you. That really does make me feel a little better."

"But you're still scared by what happened?"

"Aren't you? Even just a little?"

"I'm afraid of not being a good enough parent, but not of anything else." He titled my face up to his and smiled. "I know you'll be just fine, Bella. You're too strong and stubborn for anything less."

"I love you."

"I love you more," he replied, giving me a sweet kiss. "Now, let's go downstairs and get ready for this amazing baby shower my mother and sister have put together for you."

"Where are we having it again?"

"In the Fireside Room at the Mayflower Park Hotel," he replied, helping me down the stairs. "It's a very beautiful room and you're sure to fall in love with it as soon as you see it."

"It's going to be Cullen expensive, isn't it?"

"Cullen expensive," Edward laughed. "When did you come up with that one?"

"Last night," I chuckled as he helped me off the last step and into the living room. "You have to admit that you guys get carried away every so often."

"What you call 'carried away', we call showing the depth of our love."

"Nice turn of the words there, Cullen," I said, laughing a little. "You should really think of loaning your talents out to Hallmark. They could make a killing with your smooth lines."

"My Bella is being very silly today," he chuckled, tickling my side.

"Don't do that," I laughed, pushing his hand away. "I'm too pregnant to be tickled and laughing."

"Then have old Eddie slap a big girl diaper on you," Emmett announced loudly.

"You are so mean, Emmett Swan," I fussed him.

"Really?" he asked, feigning hurt. "Because I heard you were the one denying little Eddie of paintball fun."

"Emmett, stop it," Edward ordered, pulling me into his arms. "I don't have a problem with going to the shower."

"What's the deal anyway? Why are you forcing Edward to put up with the women folk?" Emmett asked.

"She's been having Braxton Hicks today," Edward replied.

Emmett was off the sofa in record time, his big hand on my back. "You okay, Squirt? Did it scare you? I remember when Rosie had those it scared the crap out of her and me both. I drove her to the hospital and everything, but they sent us home a few hours later."

"How long after that did Lily come?" I asked, a little afraid of his answer.

"Oh, it was weeks later. She came a day before Rosie's actual due date."

"How come you didn't tell us about that before?"

"What? And scare my baby sister unnecessarily?" he asked with a big goofy grin. His smile faded and a rarely seen serious expression took over his features. "They're scary, but they're not dangerous, Bella. And Edward's a good man to give up his plans to go to that shower with you. I'm sorry I teased you about it."

"It's okay. You didn't know," I told him.

"Didn't know what?" Rose asked, walking into the room with a giant box wrapped in bright blue paper.

"Squirt is having Braxton Hicks," Emmett explained.

Rose dropped the gift onto the chair and came over to me, running her hand over my hair. "Sweetie, why didn't you say something earlier?"

"I didn't know that's what it was," I admitted. "I've been uncomfortable the past week, so I just thought it was more of that."

"It'll all be over with soon enough," Rose said, smiling at me. "And then you'll have that beautiful little boy in your arms and all the times you've felt scared and uncomfortable won't matter to you." Rose and Esme had been telling me that a lot in the past couple of weeks and I really, really hoped they were right about that.

"In the meantime, we are going to have an excellent day and an amazing shower," Alice chirped, having come into the room at some point. "Are we ready to go, ladies and Edward?"

"Sure," Edward chuckled, leading me toward the front door. "We'll follow you in Bella's car, just in case."

"Thank you," I whispered to him, glad for a break from Alice's exuberance.

"Welcome," he whispered back, giving me a little wink.

"Okay, but don't waste time or anything," Alice warned. "There's no excuse for showing up late to your own baby shower."

"Yes, Mother," Edward said, rolling his eyes at his sister as he helped me down the porch steps.

"You know you love my bossy nature," she called after us.

"We'll be there," Edward promised.

And he was true to his word, having us pull up just a few minutes behind the rest of the family. He'd wanted so much to ease my fears and put me in better spirits that he'd let me cheat and have a small fry from McDonald's.

"Ready for your party?" he asked, helping me out of the car.

"As much as I'll ever be." I wrapped my arms around him and hugged him as tightly as I could. "Thank you for coming with me."

He tilted my face up and softly kissed my lips. "I would do absolutely anything to make you happy, Isabella."

"Then kiss me again, Edward."

He did just as I'd asked and then led me into the room our party was being held in. The first thing my eyes landed on was the beautiful baby shower banner hanging above the entrance to the room. It was blue, green, and gold with cartoon animals on it. As soon as we walked into the room, we noticed the long table with the blue cloth draped over it. It was huge and very hard to miss. Sitting right in the middle of the table was a large fake cake made of little white diapers. Each layer was held together by a green ribbon with white bears and hearts across the middle of it. Sitting proudly on top of the display was a stuffed giraffe that looked so soft I couldn't resist walking over and touching it.

"It's beautiful, Alice," I called out, knowing she was flitting around here somewhere.

"I knew you'd love it," she chirped, appearing next to us. "And you haven't even seen much yet." She led us over to another table on the opposite side of the room. "The caterers are going to put the food out soon, but what do you think of the dinnerware?"

This table was also covered in a blue cloth and sitting on top were matching plates, cups, and napkins that were a light blue with the words "baby boy" spelled out in blocks. There were also plastic flutes to drink from—one had a carriage and one had a baby bottle and both said the same thing: Welcome Baby Cullen.

"Alice this is so great," I said, sniffling a little. "This is just really great."

She was beaming with pride as she looked over her handy work. "Only the best for my little nephew. Now, we have your seat of honor all ready so I want you to sit down and just relax. Rose helped me put one together really quick for Edward too."

"Did you bring some pillows for me?" I asked. "Because my back isn't going to like any chair unless it's padded."

"Of course I brought you pillows, Bella," Alice said, taking my free arm and leading me to another part of the room with Edward. "And I have you right here by the fireside so you have a view of the entire room. Guests are going to enter on the left where they will drop their gifts at the table, then continue on to greet you, and exit at the right, heading straight for drinks and the buffet. I picked healthy choices, but also ones that I know are your favorites. And the cake we're going to have near the end is low sugar for you."

"You really did think of everything," I sniffled once again, hugging her tightly, which was a real feat with our bellies in the way.

"Of course I did, Bella. I love you," she chuckled, kissing my cheek. "Now let Edward help you get settled into your chair while I run off to make sure the food gets laid out correctly." She didn't wait for a response before fluttering off.

"She's so great," I sniffled as Edward sat me down on the pillows.

"Are you okay?"

"Just a little overwhelmed, but I'm going to be fine," I assured him. "Can you move the pillow at my back over to the left a little?"

"How's that?"

"Really good. Thank you."

"She even put blue pillowcases on the pillows," Edward chuckled, sitting down next to me. "And no one is going to miss all of these blue balloons."

"I think they'd know I was the mother-to-be anyway with this giant belly of mine," I chuckled. And then I squeezed Edward's hand, being very serious with him. "We really have to make sure she has a great shower. I want to help Rose and Esme do it right and I know it would be even more special for Alice if you helped with it, too."

"We will," he promised, kissing my temple. "But today is all about you and our little man."

And it really truly was. The guests easily numbered a hundred and every gift that came through the door seemed to be bigger than the last. Alice and Esme were really in their element as they played hostess to everyone while Rose and Edward kept me company, and kept me laughing as they made outlandish guesses about what might be inside the wrapped gifts.

Once everyone had eaten lunch, Alice had the caterers bring out the edible cake. Only it didn't look like any cake I'd ever seen before. It was blue and it had diaper pins, blankets, baby blocks, and even a little brown teddy bear on top of it. It was going to be a real shame to cut into it, but I could already smell the sugary goodness so it was too late for it to survive. As I watched them set it down on a little table in front of Edward and me, I started wondering if Rose would have liked us to give her a huge party like this. We'd just had a cookout at their house and Esme and I had worked together to make her a cake—a normal rectangular cake with strawberry icing so it would look pink. And then I remembered just how outspoken Rosalie was and felt certain that if she'd wanted something like this, she would have asked for it.

After we'd all had some cake, Alice and Rose had it taken away and replaced it with the first of many gifts. Edward helped me open them and we thanked each and every person for their kindness. Alice and Jasper gave us a beautiful bassinet so the baby could stay right by our bed when we wanted. Rose and Emmett had picked out a high chair that came with its own set of toys that sat firmly on the tray. Rose told us of how Emmett had saw it and "knew" it was perfect for his nephew. Edward had been sneaky and purchased me a gift for the shower—he'd bought the carseat for our baby, saying that he'd _needed_ to make sure we had an extremely safe one. And I wasn't the least bit surprised with his reasoning; it was what made him my Edward after all.

Esme and Carlisle's friends gifts included a fancy playpen for the baby that was green and gray and had little safari animals on it; a blue baby bathtub; lots of diapers in different sizes; bottles, pacifiers, receiving blankets, bibs, onesies—Rose said I would live and die by those—a baby spoon, fork, and bowl set; more outfits than the baby would probably ever wear; a sling thing that the baby was supposed to go in so I could have my hands free—I didn't know about this one because I was really worried he might fall out of it; a couple of boppy pillows for the baby; someone had even given me an exercise ball to help with loosing the baby weight.

By the time the shower finally ended, I was feeling pretty tired so I got to stay seated with Alice for company as everyone else loaded the gifts into our vehicles so we could take them home. I now understood why Rose had driven her van and Esme had taken her big Cadillac. Even with my car, we barely had enough space to pack in all those gifts.

We finally made it back home and Edward took me upstairs where I promptly went to sleep. When I woke up a couple of hours later, the noise level assured me that everyone was home. I walked out into the hall and yelled down for someone to come and help me.

Emmett was standing in front of me in seconds, grinning from ear to ear. "I heard a certain little sister of mine really enjoyed a party today."

"I did," I agreed as we started down the stairs. "How did you enjoy your paintball session?"

"It was fun, even if it was two on one. Carlisle and Jasper teamed up against me. Don't let his gray hair fool you, Squirt. Carlisle is a menace! And his nut-shot almost had me in tears."

"Em!" I groaned.

"What? You asked how my day was and I'm telling you. Jasper got me dead center of my chest twice. And I have bruises."

"And strangely, I don't feel the least bit sorry for you," I chuckled.

"Love you, too," Emmett snorted, pressing his lips to my temple.

When we got the living room, everyone was there and Lily was playing peek-a-boo with Jasper, hiding behind the boxes of baby gifts. Carlisle and Esme were cuddled on the loveseat, laughing as they watched Lily and Jasper. Rose, Alice, and Edward had the nursery sketches out and were discussing where to put all of these gifts.

"Hello, Love," Edward said with a smile as I sat down in his lap.

I smiled back and kissed his cheek. "Hello."

"You really racked up on the baby gear, Squirt," Emmett said, waiving his big hand toward all of the boxes. "I'm worried about one of them, though."

"What one?" I asked, knowing I was going to regret it.

Emmett grinned goofily as he lumbered across the room and grabbed a small box, tossing it to Edward. He snorted as he looked at what he'd caught. "The ball."

Emmett chuckled darkly as he looked at me. "Personally, I think you're a little too far along for this sort of stuff. Wouldn't you agree, Eddie?"

I blushed hard, understanding what he was implying while Rose slapped him for me.

Edward tightened his arms around me and whispered into my ear, his words turning my red face into a complete inferno. "Maybe not now, but after our little man comes, it might be worth a try."

"So what did you like best, Squirt?" Emmett asked, saving me from having to reply to Edward's comment.

"I think she has to finish opening her gifts before she can decide," Esme announced. I turned toward her, feeling really confused, but she only smiled in return.

Carlisle picked up two boxes from the floor and handed them to Emmett who passed them to Edward and me. "These are more personal than the other gifts so we decided to wait until we were all together," he explained.

I opened the larger gift first, with Lily's help of course. As soon as she'd heard the first rip of paper, she'd toddled over to help finish the job. I gave her the box top after I got it off and she wandered away, banging the box top against the top of her head while talking to herself. I chuckled at her as I pulled the tissue paper back.

Inside of the box was the most perfect little white suit with light brown stripes. There was a dress shirt, a jacket, dress pants, and even a little tie. "This is adorable," I squealed, running my hand over the smooth material.

"This for the baby's blessing party," Esme said, sitting on the arm of the sofa next to me. "Edward and you always refer to him as your little man, so we thought a little suit would be perfect for him."

I smiled up at her with watery eyes, once again overwhelmed with the love this family showed to each of us. Lily's blessing party had been such a special day for us, especially since none of us had ever heard of one before. Carlisle had explained that it was a tradition his family had celebrated for as long as any of his relatives could remember. All of the family members would get together and hold a huge feast in the baby's honor, welcoming him or her to the family and making wishes for the baby's future. Lily had been in this adorable pink, ruffled dress and we'd each taken a turn to toast her and make a wish for her. I tried to picture our baby in this suit and imagine what our family might wish for him, but I was interrupted before I could get very far into my daydream.

"Open the other one, Squirt. I'm dying of curiosity here," Emmett said, patting my knee.

I chuckled at him as I traded Edward the box with the suit for the unopened gift. I ripped away the paper, got the top off, and moved the tissue to the side and gasped at what I saw.

"It was Edward's," Esme explained, moving the tissue a little more to show off the gift better. "My Aunt Elizabeth made it for me, and he spent a good part of the first year of his life wrapped up in this. I thought you might like to have it for your baby."

I reached out and touched the beautiful blue blanket lightly, thinking about just how old this gift was and how much it meant to me to have this for our little boy. It was lace and unmistakably hand-made. "Thank you so much. This is just perfect," I sniffled. "I can't wait to put it around our baby." I looked up at Esme and smiled for her. "Will you show me how you used to wrap it around Edward so I can do it the same way?"

Esme's eyes filled with tears and she pulled me into a hug. "I would be so honored, Bella. Thank you."

"Alright, alright," Emmett said loudly. "We've had gifts and tears. Now can we have some dinner?"

"You are so scared of a woman's tears that it's pathetic," Rose teased, smacking Emmett's arm lightly.

We all laughed as he rubbed his arm and pouted at her, knowing he was only trying to get a kiss out of her. Only six more weeks and this baby would be able to really feel how loved he was—all of the kisses and hugs ahead of him…he was a very lucky boy indeed. I couldn't wait to finally meet him.

* * *

So there's the shower!! Big thanks to Lizbre and George for their help with this chapter. Pictures of the decorations and gifts are on my website, which you can get to from my profile page.

For anyone who has never had a child or been around a first time mother, Braxton Hicks is extremely scary. Not only do you think you're in labor at first, but after you have it that first time, you're never really sure if it's Braxton or the real thing. You worry about leaving the house and ending up having your water break while your in the middle of a store, or sitting in traffic. Just wanted to explain that so everyone could understand why Bella didn't want Edward to leave her side.

And that's all for this weekend!! I'll be back with more next Saturday.


	33. It's Time

**DISCLAIMER:** The characters do not belong to me…they are all the creation of the wonderful Stephenie Meyer.

**It's Time**

**Edward's POV**

Bella and I sat in her old rocking chair in our son's nursery, looking over all of the hard work our family and I had done to get this room ready. It had taken us awhile, but we finally had all of the shower gifts in their proper places, and we'd picked the best spot for the baby's crib. Bella had decided it should go right in the middle of the room so that the baby would see us as soon as we entered. My old blanket was draped across the side of the crib, ready and waiting for our little boy.

"Your mom says the blank wall above his crib is for his letters," Bella said, drawing my attention back to her. "She's just waiting for us to choose a name and then the room will be completely finished."

"It really is a great room," I replied. "The baby's going to be very happy in here."

"Alice really is a great decorator. Although, I have to admit, I'm still a little annoyed with her. She never once got morning sickness and she has so much more energy than I've ever had."

"Oh, I don't know about that. You were pretty spry for the sixth and seventh months," I teased, kissing along her neck.

"Yeah, well horny and energized aren't exactly the same thing. And I'm too huge now to feel either."

"You're not that big," I argued, moving my hands on top of her bulging belly. "And you know you're going to miss it as soon as it's gone."

"I know," she sighed, letting her head rest against my shoulder. "I'm just ready to meet him."

"Three more weeks, give or take."

"That's so _long_," she pouted.

"Sorry, Love," I replied, trying not to chuckle. With the end of her pregnancy quickly approaching, the end of her patience seemed to be coming much faster than before. She was tired and uncomfortable, and more than a little anxious to meet and hold our son. The thirty-seventh week was not a favorite for my Bella.

I closed my eyes, thinking back on the last nine months of our life together. We'd handled hormones, short tempers, James, and an overly exuberant Alice. We hadn't come out completely unscathed, especially Bella, but we were still together and we still loved each other hopelessly.

And in three weeks, we would be parents, and our lives would be changing once again, adapting to fit in this little person that was part Bella and part me. It was thrilling and terrifying in equal measure, but with Bella there to help me, I was sure I'd at least manage to be a bearable father.

"Is it time to leave for our lunch date with Alice and Jasper?" Bella asked, perking up a little.

I opened my eyes and looked down at my watch, surprised that so much time had passed. "Yes, actually."

"Good because I'm starving."

"Sylvia won't get any work done with both you and Alice in the restaurant," I chuckled.

"It's okay. It's her perk since she's the owner," Bella giggled as I helped her to her feet. "I have to use the bathroom first, though."

I helped her across the hall and into our room. Bella was truly "waddling" around at this point and she wasn't really able to walk without help since her clumsiness was at an all time high. I was so happy the end of her pregnancy had fallen in line with the summer break because there was no way I would have been able to let her work without my hair turning gray from worry.

While Bella was busy, I looked through my CDs, wanting to find something relaxing for her to listen to on our way to the restaurant. She was too uncomfortable to do her baby yoga anymore so we were finding new ways to help her relax, like soaking in the tub and listening to classical music.

"Edward?" Bella called, sounding a bit odd. "I think you better come in here."

I headed into the bathroom, figuring she needed help getting up. "You don't have to make it sound like a reason to panic, Love. It's understandable that you need help at this stage."

"This isn't a case of me being stubborn," she assured me, her brown eyes wide and excited. "And with any luck, _you_ won't panic."

"Why would I panic?"

"Because my water just broke," she said with a big smile. "You were right, Edward. I can't possibly mistake this for anything else."

Understanding, fear, elation, and panic all settled into my heart at the exact same time. "Your suitcase! I have to get that and put it into the car."

Bella laughed loudly at me and it echoed in the bathroom. "Edward, you have to get me off the toilet first."

"Sure. Right. That should be first. And then your suitcase."

"No," she chuckled. "Then you call Dr. Johnson as you help me down the stairs and out to the car."

I got her onto her feet and just stood there like an idiot, feeling more confused than I ever had in my life. "When do I get your suitcase?"

Bella laughed at me once again, patting my cheek. "You put it in the car a week ago."

"Oh. Right."

"Edward, we should move out of the bathroom and toward the car now."

"Sure. The car," I agreed, taking hold of her arm and leading her out of the room.

"Call the doctor, Edward."

I took one of my arms away from her and fumbled the phone out of my pocket, dropping back into my pocket twice before finally getting a good grip on it.

"Do you need me to handle that?" Bella asked. Her face was red from her suppressed laughter.

"No, I've got this," I assured her, as we climbed down the stairs.

I finally got the doctor onto the phone and told him Bella was in labor. He told me to calm down and to drive her to the hospital where he would meet us. Once I had Bella safely tucked into the car, and we were on our way to the hospital, I then began the task of contacting all of our family members. I called Jasper and Alice first since they would be on the way to the restaurant and would have to turn around to get to the hospital. Emmett and Rose were next, just to get Bella to stop reminding me to call her brother. And then I spoke with my mother and my father's secretary. My dad was in surgery, but the girl would get him the message as soon as he came out.

"Do we have time to run through the drive-thru?" Bella asked suddenly. "I want something cold to drink."

"Do we?" I asked, cringing a little from the sound of my own voice. No one could toss me into a state of panic quite like my wife. She was in labor and she was worried about a drink! I really would never understand her.

"My contractions aren't that close yet. It'll only take a second," she assured me.

When your wife is pregnant, her water has burst, and you're supposed to be on your way to the hospital, never, ever, _ever_ listen to her when she says "it'll only take a second". There are forces in this world listening closely, waiting for those words to drop from innocent lips to make you sure that second turns into a ridiculous amount of minutes.

"Bella, please," I begged once more. "I'll get you a drink at the hospital. As soon as you're in a room and in a bed."

"That's going to take too long. I'm thirsty now. Besides, you already paid for this drink."

"The entire family is going to be there before we get there," I groaned.

"Doubtful with the way you drive," she laughed. Yes, that's right. She had the nerve to laugh at her poor, panicked husband.

"Isabella, I'm begging you," I pleaded.

"Here's your drink, Sir. Sorry about the wait," a young teenage girl said, holding a large cup out.

"How can one drink take fifteen minutes?" I snapped.

"The carbonation ran out and then the ice machine wouldn't work right, so we had to use the one in the dining room. We're swamped in there and this was the first chance we got. Sorry," the poor girl explained.

"Thank you," Bella said sweetly, leaning over and taking the cup. Luckily for us both, I also had a hand on it because Bella suddenly let go and grabbed her stomach instead. "I think we better get going," she panted, looking up at me.

I shook my head and bit the inside of my cheek, knowing I would someday laugh about this situation, but too panicked right now to consider it remotely funny. "I wonder if your mother did this to your father."

Bella nodded her head as she took a sip of her drink. "They were at a restaurant. She made him finish his fish dinner first."

"Of course," I sighed.

"Are you annoyed with me?" Bella asked, sniffling a little.

"No, Sweetheart," I replied, lifting her hand and kissing the back of it. "Just a little anxious to get you to the hospital."

"But there's no hurry. My blood pressure has been excellent the last three weeks, not a single spike."

"Still, I'd feel better to have you in your bed with Dr. Johnson checking over you and the baby."

"Should we be worried since I'm technically three weeks early?"

"Not as long as his lungs are developed. Which is something only Dr. Johnson can tell us."

"They will be. He's going to be perfectly fine. I just know it."

I smiled, pleased that she was so happy and confident. And then I pressed down on the accelerator, wanting to get that hospital as soon as possible. The last thing I wanted for my wife was to have her deliver in my car—she deserved the best medical attention possible and to be as comfortable as she could be. The backseat of a Volvo would not accomplish those things. I looked up into the rearview mirror, making sure the roads were clear of police officers as I sped along the highway. I caught sight of the carseat in back and smiled even wider…Our little man was on the way and would be here soon.

**BabyBoy—BabyBoy—BabyBoy—BabyBoy—BabyBoy—BabyBoy—BabyBoy**

**Alice's POV**

"I'm craving breadsticks like there's no tomorrow. And the very idea of Chicken Parmesan has my mouth watering," I said as Jasper drove us toward the little Italian restaurant Edward and Bella loved. "Do you think they'll have fried zucchini there? Oh, I would love some of that."

"I'm not sure, Ali. We'll find out when we get there. And not to tell you your business, Sweetheart, but you really shouldn't have the breadsticks and the fried appetizer," Jasper replied. The man really thought his smile and the caring tone of his voice was going to work for him.

"Jasper, I'm eating for three. Unless my doctor says otherwise, the three of us are going to eat whatever the hell we want."

"Yes, Dear," Jasper sighed as my phone rang loudly in the car.

I flipped it open and answered. "We should be there soon, Edward."

"Not anymore," my brother chuckled. "Turn around and head for the hospital. Bella's water broke."

"Oh my God!" I squealed, bouncing in my seat. "Jasper, turn the car around. The baby's coming."

"What baby?" Jasper yelled, looking panicked.

"Edward's baby, you big ninny," I laughed. "Our babies are going to come together, but not anytime soon."

"Bella is ordering me to tell you to tell Jasper to have pillows for you," Edward said. "If you love me at all, Ali, make sure Jasper has pillows," he added, speaking so low I barely heard him.

"You'll be safe, little brother," I chuckled.

"I have to call Emmett now _before_ Bella tells me to do it for the hundredth time," Edward sighed. He didn't even wait for a response before hanging the phone up on me. He was lucky his wife was in labor or else he'd get an earful when I got to that hospital.

"Let's go welcome our nephew into the world," I chirped as Jasper pulled back into traffic, having turned the car toward the hospital.

**BabyBoy—BabyBoy—BabyBoy—BabyBoy—BabyBoy—BabyBoy—BabyBoy**

**Emmett's POV**

"What are you doing?" I yelled, stomping over to one of my players. I grabbed his facemask and pulled him closer. "Was that supposed to be a block? Where was the blocking? Do you even know what the word 'block' means? Because I can guarantee you it doesn't mean let his ass waltz past you and score a touchdown!"

"Sorry, Coach Swan," he muttered, staring down at his feet.

"I don't want hear 'sorry', Tucker. I want to hear how you plan to correct this."

"I'm going to hold my position."

"What? You're going to stay in one spot and watch him pass you?"

"No, Sir! I'm going to hold the line and when he gets close enough, I'm going to tackle him. I'm going to stay on him."

"Then let's see it," I said, slapping his shoulder pads hard. As I headed for the sideline, my phone started ringing. "The man better be dying," I grumbled, listening to Edward's ringtone as I fumbled the phone out of my pocket. "What?" I spat out.

"I'm on the way to the hospital with Bella. She's in labor, Em. This is the real deal," Edward said in a rush. His panicked tone would have been amusing if Bella wasn't my baby sister.

"I'm gonna swing by to grab Rose and the baby and we'll be there soon," I promised. "Tell Squirt I love her, will you?"

"Sure thing. See you soon, Emmett," Edward said. "Bella, he's coming—" I heard before the call ended.

"Hot damn, boys! I'm going to be an uncle!" I yelled out with a laugh. "Jones, can you take over for me?" I asked, tossing him my clipboard.

"Sure thing, Emmett. You tell that sister of yours congratulations for us," he replied.

"Will do!" I called out, already running for the parking lot. I hit Rosie's speed dial number and she picked up on the third ring. "Baby, pack a bag and get the princess ready. Squirt's in labor and on the way to the hospital."

"Is she doing okay?" Rose asked.

"Hard to say. Edward's voice sounded like a squeaky teenager's," I chuckled.

"You panicked, too," Rose reminded me.

"Yeah, I did," I agreed. "But I still got you to the hospital on time. And it was the _right_ one!" We'd had a practice run the week before and I'd driven us to the wrong hospital on the opposite end of town. Rose loved to remind me of my error, but she'd been sweet enough to keep it just between us so far.

"We'll be ready, Baby. You just be careful driving and try not to speed too much."

"Love you, Rosie."

"I love _you_, Em."

"Be there soon," I promised, starting up the Jeep's engine. I dropped the phone into my pocket and tore out of the parking lot. "Watch over her, Mom and Dad," I said to the empty car. "Keep my little sister and nephew safe for me." But that was too serious for me, so I threw in a joke to lighten the mood. "Who knows what kind of trouble I could get myself into without the Squirt around to give me a hard time? I know neither of you want to explain to God why I was left without supervision," I chuckled.

**BabyBoy—BabyBoy—BabyBoy—BabyBoy—BabyBoy—BabyBoy—BabyBoy**

**Carlisle's POV**

"Dr. Cullen, I have a message," Jennifer said as I tried to make it into my office without anyone noticing. I'd just finished a grueling surgery and wanted to relax for just five little minutes.

"Can't it wait?" I sighed, stopping in the doorway and turning toward my secretary.

"Babies don't normally do that, Sir," she said with a smirk.

"What babies?" I asked, trying to panic as I thought of Alice. She was only twenty-five weeks into her pregnancy, giving the babies only a fifty percent chance at survival outside of the womb.

"Edward's baby," she clarified. "He should be here in the hospital by now. You were right in the middle of your surgery when he called."

"Has Esme been notified?" I asked, smiling wide with relief.

"Of course I have," Esme answered as she walked into the room. "Now change out of those scrubs as quickly as you can and let's go welcome our grandson into the world."

"Hello, Dear," I chuckled, kissing her cheek.

"Thirty-seven weeks is safe, right?" Esme asked, her eyes pleading for a positive answer.

"Yes, it is," I assured her.

"I worry, Carlisle. She's had such a rough pregnancy. So much about it has reminded me of the troubles we had with Edward."

"Bella is just as strong and stubborn as you are, my love. I'm sure she and the baby will be just fine."

"I hate to admit it, but I'm so glad Edward wasn't able to finish the house in time. I'm so looking forward to having them with us for three more months."

"Just remember to let them go when the three months are over," I chuckled. "He's all grown up, Esme. No more excuses for keeping him at home."

"Except that I love him," she sighed.

"And he will visit," I promised.

"You're right," she said, giving me a smile. "You know I get emotional for births. Hurry and go change so we can head downstairs."

"I'll be as quick as I can," I assured her, heading into my office. I quickly changed into one of the extra sets of clothes I kept in here, excited to meet my son's son. Having Emmett, Bella, Rosalie, and Jasper join us had completed us and given Esme the large family she'd always dreamed of. I smiled, thinking of just how lucky I was to have such a large and wonderful family. And we were going to grow just a little bit bigger today with the addition of a very special little boy. We were definitely blessed.

* * *

So Bella is in labor and on her way to the hospital! And, of course, it couldn't be just a simple little task for Edward to get her there. What fun would that be? I know this chapter was shorter than what you guys are used to, but they will get longer again after the birth. We'll mostly see things from Bella's POV this time since we got Edward's in LLC. Yeah for babies!!

Thanks to George for her help!!


	34. Birth Part 1

**DISCLAIMER:** The characters do not belong to me…they are all the creation of the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. All are human.

**Birth – Part 1 of 3  
**

Today was the _big_ day. Our baby was coming and from the pain I was experiencing, I knew it wouldn't be much longer. Edward was being so sweet, rubbing my back to try to calm me. I kept smiling for him, not wanting him to know just how much it was really hurting me; I tried to focus on anything other than the pain and to breathe like they'd taught me in our Lamaze class.

"Did you call Em?" I asked. I felt like I might have asked Edward that before, but I couldn't remember.

"Yes, Love. He and Rose are on their way over with little Lily. I've also called Alice and Jasper. They should be here shortly. Carlisle is on his way down from surgery and Esme is on her way from the Garden Club meeting."

"Alice won't be comfortable in the hospital," I pouted, wishing I could properly fold my arms across my chest.

"Bella, she'll be fine. She insisted on coming. Jasper is bringing pillows just like you instructed."

"She's having twins, Edward! She needs to be pampered." Men just couldn't understand what it was like to have all that weight pulling you forward all day long, making your back knot up. And poor Alice was carrying twice the weight. I didn't understand how she could do it. She was even smaller than me!

"I agree, Love. But Alice has a few months to go. She'll be fine. Is there anything I can do for you?"

"No, I'm okay right now."

"Did you want me to call Angela and Ben as well?"

"No, Honey. They're vacationing in Hawaii with Ben's parents. They won't be home until next week. She'll be so upset she missed it though."

"I brought the camera. We'll have lots of pictures."

"Just leave me out of them. I'm sure I look awful," I groaned. I wanted to hide my face in the pillow, but I was in too much pain to bother.

Edward kissed my temple. "You look beautiful. You're glowing. You're going to give birth to our son today."

"Do you think we're ready?" I asked, biting at my lower lip.

"I think it doesn't matter," he chuckled. "He's decided that's he's ready. We just have to go along."

"Know what my favorite part of not being pregnant anymore will be?" I whispered, trying to keep the grin off of my face.

Edward leaned down close. "What, Love?"

"Getting to make love to you again. And we won't have an insanely huge belly in our way like the last time!"

"Bella, you were nearly eight months pregnant. Besides, I have loved your belly. It's been perfectly round and beautiful."

"I know! You certainly kissed it enough!"

"But I've always saved my best kisses for your lips." And just to prove his point, Edward gave me a wonderfully passionate kiss.

"Jeez, Eddie!" Emmett chuckled, as he burst into the room. "She's giving birth today! Cut her some slack and stop trying to sleep with her!"

"Emmett!" I laughed, wiggling my hands at him. I was so glad my big brother had made it here in time.

He bent low, and gave me a hug and a kiss on my cheek. "How are you, little sis?" he asked, his eyes misting slightly.

"Really good. Edward is taking great care of me," I told him, fighting the moisture in my own eyes.

"He better be," Rosalie grinned, as she entered with our niece, Lily.

"My favorite flowers!" I chuckled, knowing how much Rose secretly liked my joke.

Rose leaned down and kissed my cheek then let Lily do the same.

"I'm here!" Alice squealed, bursting into the room with a large bag in her hands. "I've got you five outfits to choose from to take him home in. I also brought you some comfy pajamas for after you're all done. And I found the perfect outfit for you to go home in. The salesperson assured me it was perfect for new mothers to help with soreness."

"Breathe, Alice!" I laughed. I couldn't understand how she had so much energy; I'd felt so tired for most of my pregnancy.

Alice kissed my cheek and looked hard at me, making sure I wouldn't edit the answer to whatever question she was about to ask. "Are you doing okay so far?"

"Yes, I promise. Where's Jazz?" I asked.

"I'm here, Bella," Jasper said, as he walked in carrying four thick pillows. "With pillows as you ordered."

"Good!" I sighed. At least Alice would be comfortable while we waited for my son to make his appearance into the world. "Em, would you move that chair over here so Jasper can set Alice up?"

The words had barely left my mouth when another painful contraction started to hit me. I grabbed Edward's hand, trying to be careful not to hurt him, and gritted my teeth.

Edward whispered into to my ear. "Relax, Love. I know it hurts, but try to breathe. I'm right here with you. I'm not going anywhere."

The contraction started to ease up, so I quickly smiled for Edward. "So have you come up with any new ideas for names?" I asked Alice, turning to face her.

"I have gotten Jasper to agree Elizabeth is the perfect name for our daughter," Alice said with a wink. "I've decided to stop torturing him and let him know I was only teasing about Jazzy Jr. for our son."

"That's good to know!" Edward laughed.

I noticed Jasper pretending to wipe his brow. He'd really been worried Alice was serious.

"Actually, Bella suggested a name and I wanted to see what all of you thought about it," Alice announced.

"What is it?" Emmett asked. Lily was crawling all over him and I chuckled to myself. I think she thought her daddy was the best jungle gym ever.

"Bella suggested Brandon would be a good name for a boy," Alice informed everyone.

I was going to tell them where I got the name from, but another contraction hit me. Edward rubbed my back and hummed my lullaby, trying hard to help me. But I was very alone in this pain. I closed my eyes tightly and tried to take deep breaths to calm myself. I wanted Edward to only be happy today, not be worried about me.

The door opened and then a familiar voice greeted us. "Hello, family," Dr. Johnson chuckled.

I opened my eyes, knowing I had to, but that last contraction had really hurt. I forced myself to smile and talk. "Edward, please introduce everyone."

Edward gave me a light kiss on my forehead before speaking. "Everyone, this is Dr. Johnson. Doctor, you know my sister, Alice. Next to her is her husband, Jasper, Bella's brother, Emmett, his wife, Rosalie, and their daughter, Lily."

"Where are Carlisle and Esme?" the doctor asked.

"On their way," Edward answered.

"Let's just see if they'll make it on time," Dr. Johnson said. "Could I get everyone to step outside?"

"Except Edward!" I announced loudly, gripping his hand even tighter.

"Of course, Bella," the doctor assured me. "Edward will be with you the entire time. We talked about that, remember?"

"I'm just nervous," I admitted.

"It's fine, Bella," the doctor said softly. "All my first time mothers are nervous."

"We'll be right outside," Alice said, kissing my cheek.

Edward and I watched them all leave, poor Jasper struggling with the pillows once again, as a nurse came into my room.

"Okay, Bella. I need you to turn on your back and open your legs wide. I need to see how dilated you are," the doctor instructed.

Edward helped me to turn on my back and I gave him the best smile I could. I could tell my smiles were helping him; he seemed relaxed and excited without a trace of worry on his gorgeous face.

"Excellent!" the doctor said, removing his gloves. "Bella it's almost time to start pushing. I'm going to step out and get the rest of my staff ready. We'll be right back and then we'll begin."

I nodded my head, then the doctor and nurse stepped out.

Edward took my hand and kissed the back of it. "Just think Bella. Very soon, we'll be holding him for the first time."

"I can't wait to see his face. And then we'll know just what to name him."

The doctor came back in with three nurses this time. They also pushed in a large cart. I stared at the cart and then looked up at Edward, wondering if he knew something I didn't. He was looking at me in the same way.

Dr. Johnson must have noticed our staring. "It's just for cleaning him up and weighing him after he's born. I don't expect there to be any problems. He's a little early, but it shouldn't be a problem at all." He sat at the end of my bed and lifted up the stirrups. "Alright, Bella. I need you to scoot down some."

A nurse came to my other side and she and Edward helped me scoot down to the end. The other nurses put my feet in the stirrups. I grabbed Edward's hand and pressed it to my chest. Now that the time was really here, I was scared. But I was also excited to know I would see our baby soon.

Edward must have seen my fear in my eyes because he leaned close and spoke soothingly to me. "Everything will be fine, Love. You can do this."

"Bella, when the next contraction comes, I want you to push while the nurse counts to ten. When she stops counting, you can rest until the next contraction. Do you understand?" the doctor asked.

I nodded my head.

"Okay, Bella. Here comes the first one. Lean forward a little and push hard."

The nurse counted. "One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten."

I let myself fall back onto my pillow. I wondered how people had done this ages ago when there was no medication to help with the pain. Edward was being so great. He was wiping my forehead with a cold towel and it felt heavenly. I tried to smile for him, but I don't think it worked very well because he was frowning slightly.

"Again, Bella," the doctor instructed.

_Again_? I wondered just how many times I would hear that.

It turned out to be a lot. I don't know how much time had passed, but I couldn't believe the baby wasn't out yet. This was too painful and I was really tired. I had to get them to understand how tired I was.

"I can't, Edward," I whispered. "I'm tired."

"I know, Love. But you're getting so close," Edward said. He tried to smile, but it didn't reach his eyes. He wasn't sure of his words at all.

"Edward, can you sit behind her? It'll give her some more leverage," the doctor said.

Edward got onto the bed and sat sideways behind me, letting me rest against his chest as he took both of my hands into his.

"Bella, he's crowning. If you can give us one more really great push, we can get him out," the doctor told me.

I nodded my head and tried to take a deep breath. I really hoped the doctor was right because I couldn't do this much longer. I leaned forward, with Edward slightly pressing against my back. I gritted my teeth, squeezing Edward's hands, and pushing as hard as I could. All of my muscles were trembling from my efforts, but I was determined to get the baby out with this push. I felt something change and I stopped pushing, falling back against Edward.

"It's a boy!" the doctor announced. "Not that we're surprised by that."

I could feel Edward moving around, probably trying to see the baby. The room was quiet for a moment and then it was filled with a loud cry.

Edward laughed and kissed the top of my head. "Hear that, Bella? That's our baby. You did it!"

"Edward, would you like to cut the cord?" the doctor asked.

Edward moved from behind me, making sure I was resting on the pillows. He was smiling so happily and I tried to smile right back at him. I tried to watch Edward cut the cord, but I was too tired. I closed my eyes and rested further into the pillow. Every part of me was either hurting or trembling and I was tired and cold. I just wanted to go to sleep; I would just have to see the baby later.

"Edward, please step outside," Dr. Johnson said suddenly. I vaguely wondered why he sounded upset.

"What's going on?" Edward asked, panic filling his normally tender voice.

"I'm having a little trouble with Bella's bleeding. I need you to step outside so the nurses and I can get it under control," the doctor explained.

Trouble? What was he talking about? I was just tired. Silly doctor! Scaring Edward for nothing.

"I'll stay right here, please don't make me leave her side," Edward pleaded.

I tried to open my eyes to talk to him and let him know I was tired, but I was having trouble making my body do what I wanted it to. I could only lay there, listening to everyone talk around me.

"I understand how you feel, Edward, but it really would be best if you left the room right now," the doctor replied.

I felt Edward kissing my sweaty forehead. "Don't you dare leave me, Isabella Cullen! Don't you dare!" he demanded.

"Edward," I murmured, forcing my opens to open and look into his panicked, green eyes. My eyes followed him across the room as the nurse pushed him out of the door.

* * *

Two more small chapters and then we have baby Cullen with us!! Thanks to George for her beta skills!!


	35. Birth Part 2

I may be evil, but I also love you guys! Therefore!!! I am caving and posting the other two chapters today.

* * *

**DISCLAIMER:** The characters do not belong to me…they are all the creation of the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. All are human.

**Birth – Part 2**

**Edward's POV – if some of it seems familiar, it's because it is. A little LLC insert and expand for you.**

I shook my head, refusing to believe this was really happening. This had to be some insane dream. She wouldn't leave me. She couldn't! She'd promised!

"Bella," I whispered to myself. "Please be safe. Please don't leave me. I love you too much to lose you."

"I heard the cry," Emmett said, patting me on the back. "How big is he?"

I turned to face him and he saw the haunted look on my face. I couldn't hide it—Bella was in trouble and there was nothing I could do about it.

"Edward." His voice demanded an answer.

"There's a complication with Bella. They made me leave," I replied, not looking up at him.

"Edward, why do you look like you're about to crumble?" Jasper asked, running over to me.

"She's bleeding badly, Jazz. They made me leave," I answered, choking back my tears.

They moved me away from her door and into the waiting area where the rest of our family was sitting.

My mother ran up to me, all smiles. "Are we late? Is he here yet?"

I couldn't keep it in any longer. I sobbed loudly and fell to the floor.

"Edward!" Alice and my mother screamed.

"Give him a minute," Emmett demanded, putting a hand on my shoulder. "There's a problem with Bella and they made him leave the room."

"What kind of problem?" Alice screamed.

"Alice," Jasper soothed, making her sit. "You have to be calm. Think of the twins."

"That's my sister in there!" Alice cried.

"And she would be very mad at you if you let anything happen to our babies," Jasper said. Alice buried her face in his chest and cried.

I watched all of this from my spot on the floor, clutching at my heart, wondering why it was hurting so much. I was vaguely aware of Carlisle and Emmett moving me to a chair. Rosalie and my mother sat on either side of me, rubbing my arms and whispering to me, telling me Bella would be fine. I wanted to believe them. I really did. But only seeing her smiling face would convince me.

The next two hours were the longest of my entire life. No one came out to talk to us. There were no sounds coming from her room. What was I going to do if I lost her?

My parents tried to get me to go down to the nursery to see the baby, but I couldn't do it. I had to stay here. What if the doctor came out and Bella needed me?

We sat quietly, except for Lily's occasional peals of laughter as someone entertained her. I ran my hands through my hair for the millionth time, trying to keep my brain from thinking the worst.

"Edward."

I looked up to see Dr. Johnson had called my name. I stood up slowly as he approached me. This man was about to either ruin my life or make me very happy.

"Edward, there was a lot of bleeding," the doctor continued. "We tried to stop it as quickly as we could. I'm sorry, son. I did all I could."

"What's that mean?" Emmett bellowed, clenching his hands into tight fists.

Dr. Johnson looked over at Emmett for a just second before turning his attention back to me. "I know this is upsetting, but you have to focus on the positives here. Bella's resting right now, as comfortably as possible, but she's going to be in a lot of pain when she wakes. She won't be able to do much in the next two to three months and I absolutely do not want her breastfeeding for the next month. She'll need her pain medicine and she can't breastfeed while she's taking it. Um…I really wouldn't suggest telling her that just yet, though."

"What the hell are you saying?" Emmett asked, stepping up next to me. He was practically foaming at the mouth he was so angry. "What's wrong with my little sister?"

"Emmett, relax," Dr. Johnson ordered, reaching a hand out toward him.

"Don't fuckin' tell me to relax," Emmett snarled. "Tell me what's wrong with Bella." I agreed with his sentiment perfectly and if it wouldn't make it harder for the doctor to talk, I might have already slugged him in the mouth myself for being so cryptic. I just wanted to know if Bella would live.

"Emmett, dear," Esme said, putting her hands on his arm. "He's trying to, but you have to let him speak."

"As I said before, we couldn't stop the bleeding. We were forced to perform a partial hysterectomy," Dr. Johnson explained.

"Wait…what's that mean?" Emmett asked, his anger deflated by his confusion.

"It means we can't have any more children," I told him.

"Oh," he said. He repeated the word again, much softer. "Ed, man—"

I waved a hand at him to shut him up. "She's going to be fine, though?" I asked the doctor.

"Yes. She won't have to worry about hormone treatments since I was able to stop the bleeding without doing a complete hysterectomy, but she'll probably need counseling to deal with the emotions that come with this sort of complication. She may also end up suffering post-partum depression because of this. I wish I could tell you exactly what to expect, Edward, but every woman is different."

"Can we see her?" Emmett asked, still talking in that low voice.

"Only Edward for right now, I'm afraid. Bella's very upset and wouldn't let me talk to her about the surgery." The doctor put his hand on my shoulder and started to lead me back toward Bella's room.

Emmett's big hand settled on my opposite shoulder and stopped us from moving any further. I turned to look at him, seeing the same look on his face that I knew was on my own. We'd come too damn close to being in a world without Bella. "You tell her I'm right out here for her. Tell her I love her."

"I will, Em. As soon as I can get her to agree, I'll get you in there to see her," I promised him.

"Hey, uh...could you...could you send me a text or something if she won't let us in there right away? I know the doctor is gonna say she's fine and not to worry, but it'll mean more coming from you."

"Yeah, I can do that, Em."

He nodded his head and then walked back toward our family. It was really odd to see Emmett so deflated and looking half of the size he really was; it was just another sign of how much he loved his sister.

"Edward?" Dr. Johnson called. "Are you ready?"

I just nodded my head, wondering how the hell anyone could ever be ready for something like this.

"Now, Edward, she looks very pale, but so far, all of her results indicate that she'll be fine so try not to let it bother you too much. If she seems to be in a great deal of pain, call for the nurses. Try to get her to hold off on seeing the baby until she's a little calmer about all of this. And, Edward, I truly am sorry, son."

"I know you did everything you could," I said, shaking his hand. "Thank you for keeping her with me."

"You really have her to thank for that, Edward. If she hadn't come around and kept on fighting, I really don't think I'd have had enough time to stop the bleeding. If you ever wondered about it at all, you can know for sure that she loves you a great deal."

I nodded my head as I put my hand on her door. I took a deep breath, willing myself to stay calm and not upset her further, and then I opened the door.


	36. Birth Part 3

**DISCLAIMER:** The characters do not belong to me…they are all the creation of the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. All are human.

**Birth – Part 3 -- this starts just after Edward is forced out of the delivery room **

"Have someone take the baby to the nursery. I want an IV hooked up to her and order some blood from the blood bank. We need to work quickly, or we could lose her," the doctor said.

I tried to be worried about what my doctor was saying, but I was cold and tired. I just wanted to sleep, so I closed my eyes again. I hissed when the nurse stuck me with a needle full of...well, I wasn't really sure what they were doing by that point. I just knew I wanted to sleep and get away from the pain, but they were poking me all over, or so it seemed to me.

"Bella, stay with us," the doctor ordered me.

"I'm tired," I complained.

"I know, Bella. I'm working as quickly as I can, but I really need you to stay strong right now. Edward's right outside waiting for you. The sooner we get you fixed up, the sooner he can see you again," Dr. Johnson told me.

"I just want to sleep for a little while," I muttered, still not opening my eyes.

"Bella, you need to stay awake right now. I promise you can sleep later," Dr. Johnson said. "Just think of Edward and the baby, okay?"

So that was exactly what I did…I thought of Edward. I thought of how we'd met and how I'd instantly felt at ease with him. I thought of our first kiss during a dare, in the middle of his living room. I thought of our second kiss in my room, when he'd tried to make up for the dare. The memories came faster after that—our first dance together, our first kiss after becoming boyfriend and girlfriend, movies with our siblings and friends, dinners with his parents, afternoons lounging around in the backyard…

And then there was the night I'd moved into his parents' home, sharing his room with him. We'd been lying in bed together, holding and kissing each other. He'd suddenly stopped and looked at me; his green eyes had been so dark and fearful. I remembered his words so clearly…_I love you so much, Isabella. It would kill me if you weren't here with me_.

I clenched my fists and forced my eyes to open.

The doctor noticed and I could hear in his voice that he was pleased. "Welcome back, Bella. Just hang in there a little while longer."

"I will," I whispered. "For Edward."

"We're doing everything we can, but we need you to help us, Bella. Just keep fighting and holding on."

"What's wrong with me?"

"I'm going to have to take you to surgery to find out for sure. You're bleeding heavily and I'm afraid I can't seem to stop it."

The nurses lifted the sides of my bed and started to wheel me out of the room. I tried to look for Edward, but it all happened so fast.

"Bella, we'll have to put you under for this part. Just stay with us and soon enough, you'll be waking up to see Edward and that beautiful new baby of yours," Dr. Johnson said as another nurse put a mask over my nose and mouth. I wasn't even used to the feel of it before I fell into a deep sleep.

Sometime later, I woke up, not completely sure of where I was or why I was there. There was a nurse holding my wrist and staring down at her watch. I tried to talk to her, but my tongue felt swollen and weird.

"It's good to see you awake, Mrs. Cullen," the nurse said smiling at me. "You'll probably find it hard to talk right now. The anesthesia can make your mouth feel dry. Would you like some water?"

I nodded my head, glad that she knew just what was wrong with me…Well, at least that part. I still felt tired and cold, but I was hurting more than I remembered.

After drinking every drop of water she had given me, I cleared my throat and tried out my voice. "What happened to me?"

"Dr. Johnson will let you know everything in just a moment. Let me go and alert him that you've woken up."

"What about Edward? When can I see my husband?"

"After Dr. Johnson speaks with you and clears you for visitors."

"Alright," I sighed, knowing it wouldn't do me any good to argue.

An unbearably long time later—which was probably only minutes in reality—Dr. Johnson stepped into the room. From the look on his face, I knew whatever he had to say was going to be bad. "Bella."

"Dr. Johnson, what happened? Can I see Edward now?" I asked, feeling agitated by the look on his face and the way he'd said my name.

"You need to calm down, Bella," he cautioned. "I don't want you moving around right now. You had to have surgery and it's important for you to rest and stay relaxed to help with the healing."

"What kind of surgery?"

"Bella, your bleeding was severe and we couldn't stop it. We were forced to do a partial hysterectomy to save your life."

I just stared at him, knowing what that word meant, but not wanting to say it out loud. Maybe if I didn't say it out loud, it wouldn't be true. And if it wasn't true, then none of the consequences of that type of surgery would be real.

"Bella, I'm sorry there wasn't more we could do. But you are extremely lucky. You're alive and you have a healthy baby boy."

I was glad I was already on my side—it made it all the easier to turn my head away from the doctor. "I want Edward."

"Bella, I need to explain the implications of this sort of surgery to you."

"I want Edward," I repeated, slightly louder than before.

"Alright, Bella. I'll get him, but just know that we have to talk about this at some point."

I ignored him, choosing to close my eyes and block him out completely. I didn't want to talk to him about this or hear about implications, or hear how lucky I might be in his eyes. I wanted my husband—I wanted him to hold me and tell me this was just a nightmare and that I was safe at home. I wanted to hear from his lips that I was okay. That _we_ were okay. I needed Edward now more than ever before.

Whatever medicine I was on was making it hard to stay focused with my eyes closed. I heard the door open and a chair move on the floor, but I was having trouble remembering why I wanted to be awake. A warm hand smoothed my hair back, tucking a lock behind my ear and I knew I wanted to hold that hand. I struggled against the urge to sleep, forcing my eyes open and finding my beautiful Edward crying.

"Edward," I sighed, so happy to see him.

He wiped his eyes and smiled at me. "Bella. I was so scared."

"Me, too," I admitted, tears immediately filling my eyes and running over.

Edward climbed into the bed with me and held me tightly against his chest, stroking my hair and my back. "You're safe now, Bella. Everything will be okay. I promise you."

"Did…did…did he tell you?" I sobbed, still hoping that it wasn't really true.

"Yes, Love."

"And?"

"And what?"

"Aren't you upset?"

"No, Bella. I don't care. You're alive and safe. That's all that matters."

"But you…we can't have anymore children."

"I've told you this nearly every day since we met, Bella. I hope you'll believe me when I tell you now. You are all I need in this life. I'm very happy we have a son, but Bella, I _need_ you."

"I need you, too. It would have been so easy to just let go of the pain…I didn't think I could take it anymore, every part of me was aching so badly, Edward. But then I thought of the night I moved into your parents' house…You crushed me against you, telling me you loved me and that it would kill you if I wasn't with you. That's why I wouldn't let myself give up…It would have hurt you and I love you too much to ever hurt you." We were quiet for awhile, just holding each other, but I needed to know something. "Is the baby okay?" I asked.

"He's fine. He's in the nursery now. Dr. Johnson wants you to rest for a while before they bring the baby."

"What if he gets hungry?"

"They'll give him a bottle. You're too weak to feed him right now. Maybe in a few days."

"Is the family still here?"

"Yes, Love."

"Do they know?"

"Yes."

"I guess that's for the best," I sighed. "At least this way, I don't have to tell them myself."

"You should try to sleep now, Love."

"You have to stay with me."

"I had no plans to leave," he assured me, kissing my head and hugging me just a little tighter.

I closed my eyes, comforted by the tight grip he had on me, and let sleep overtake me completely this time.

I didn't know how much time had passed, but I knew it wasn't enough since I was still tired. I had been warm until a few minutes ago, but now I was getting cold and I knew Edward wasn't lying with me anymore. I needed to find him, to make sure he was still here in the room with me, so I forced myself to wake up.

I caught the end of what Edward was saying. "You, sister dear, are going to stay rested like your doctor told you to. We are not going to be in the position of having to worry about you."

"Edward's right," I said. They all turned to look at me.

Edward rushed right over and helped me to sit up a little. "Did you sleep well?"

"I'm rested," I told him, nodding my head. "Can I see the baby now?"

Edward pressed a button on the remote on my bed and one of the nurses that had helped to deliver the baby appeared seconds later. "Bella! You're awake. Are you feeling any pain right now?"

"No. I'm fine. I was hoping to see my baby," I replied. In truth, I was hurting pretty badly, but I wanted to see our baby.

"Let me check with Dr. Johnson," the nurse said. "I'm sure it won't be a problem." A few minutes later, the nurse returned, pushing a small cart with a blue bundle nestled inside of it. She gently lifted the baby and put him into my arms.

His skin was a little red and splotchy, but he still looked absolutely gorgeous to me. He had the faintest hint of bronze hair and wide brown eyes, with Edward's nose and my lips—he was the most beautiful baby I'd ever seen. I kissed his forehead and held his little hand in mine as Edward hugged us both. "Edward, I have an idea for a name," I said, smiling up at him.

He nodded for me to go on, my favorite grin on his beautiful face.

"What do you think about Charles Edward Cullen? We could call him Charlie for short."

"I think it's beautiful, Bella," he said sincerely before kissing my lips gently.

"Works for me!" Alice chirped.

"Dad would be very happy about that, Bella," Emmett said solemnly.

"He looks like a Charlie," Rose offered.

"Now we can finish his room!" Esme beamed. "Carlisle, we must go to the décor store when we leave. I know just what style lettering I want to get for him."

"Look up you two!" Carlisle called.

Edward and I looked toward his voice, and I was surprised by the flash of his camera.

The door opened and the nurse came in, carrying a bottle. "It's time for his feeding. I thought you two might like the honors this time."

Edward took the bottle from her but wasn't saying anything. I chuckled at his lack of coherency, remembering quite clearly how it felt for him to do that to me. Our little man was only hours old and he was already dazzling his father.

"Thank you. We'd really like that," I told the nurse. I looked up at Edward and smiled for him. "Do you want to feed Charlie first? I figure we can each give him half the bottle so we both get to enjoy it."

Esme took Charlie from me while Carlisle held the bottle and Edward propped me against my pillows. He sat down next to me on the bed and Esme handed Charlie to him. Edward took a shaky breath as he looked down at our son.

"Kind of scary, isn't it?" I whispered, running my finger along the baby's soft cheek.

"Just a bit," he chuckled, taking the bottle from his father and carefully putting the tip in Charlie's little mouth. But Charlie didn't seem to want it.

"Wiggle the bottle a little, Edward," Esme instructed. "He needs to know it's there."

Edward followed her instructions and we watched in awe as Charlie started to suck on the bottle.

"He is so _cute_!" Alice chirped. "I just want to kiss him all over his little face."

"He's got your eyes, Bella," Emmett commented.

I smiled as I carefully touched the little hairs on Charlie's head. "That's okay. He's going to have Edward's hair and that's what I really wanted."

"Great," Alice sighed, sitting in the chair by the bed. "Another Cullen male with hair that's impossible to tame." We all chuckled at Alice, knowing how she tended to worry about the silliest things.

"I remember when Lily was that small," Rose mused. "Although, she wasn't nearly as quiet as Charlie's being."

"He does have a bottle in his mouth, Rose," Emmett chuckled.

"I think he's quiet because he's perfectly content," Jasper commented.

"He has the sweetest little face," Esme cooed.

"My son has a son of his own," Carlisle said proudly.

Edward pulled the bottle away from Charlie's lips and our baby immediately started to whimper.

"His cry is so cute!" Alice squealed.

Edward laughed as he carefully handed our baby to me. I shushed him softly, pulling him close to my body and getting him settled in my arms. Charlie's cries stopped as soon as I touched the bottle to his lips; he seemed to really be enjoying his meal. I couldn't believe how surreal this felt. I was feeding our baby with Edward sitting right next to me, his eyes so loving and tender as he watched over us.

"Visiting hours are nearly over and Bella needs her rest," Esme announced. "We'll all be back tomorrow, my dears," she said, as she kissed Edward's cheek and then the baby's and mine.

Everyone else agreed with her as they told us goodnight and gave us kisses and hugs. For a moment, I really thought Emmett wasn't going to let go. And when he finally had, he'd just sort of brushed his lips on my cheek and then flew out of the room. Edward told me not to worry, and that it was just because they'd all been scared by what had happened.

"That was so sweet of Esme to give us some time together without everyone hovering," I said.

Edward smiled, seeming just as glad for this private time as I was.

"So do you really like the name I picked?" I asked, slightly nervous for his answer.

"I love it, Bella. I think his name really suits him. And it's a wonderful way to remember your father fondly."

"I still can't believe we're parents, Edward," I chuckled, suddenly feeling giddy. I wasn't sure if it was the medicine or the tiredness making me feel so light, but I didn't really care. I had Edward and Charlie with me—everything else was unimportant for now.

"I'm having the same issues, Bella," Edward said, his voice rough with emotion.

"I didn't think he'd be so wrinkly, though."

Edward chuckled as he touched his large fingers to Charlie's small hand. "It's only temporary, Love. The wrinkles and redness will fade soon."

"How long do you think we'll both be in the hospital?"

"I'm not sure. Dr. Johnson wants to make sure there are no further complications before he releases you. Healthy newborns are usually kept for a just a couple of days."

"Are you going to be able to stay with me?" I asked, trying not to panic at the thought of being without Edward after everything that had happened.

"No one can make me leave your side, my love," Edward assured me, putting his hand over my knee. "I'm here with you until they release you."

"Can you take Charlie? I'm tired again," I sighed, not really wanting to let go of my baby, but knowing I needed to.

Edward kissed my forehead and took our baby into his arms. I fought to stay awake and watch Edward finish feeding Charlie while my husband laughed at my attempt to fight my sleep. He then decided to cheat and started humming my lullaby. I tried to call him a cheater, but I think my words were too garbled for him to understand me.

The last thing I heard before the sleep won was Edward's tender whisper in my ear. "I love you, my sweet Isabella. Thank you for not leaving me. I never would have made it without you."

* * *

Alright!! Show me some review love for caving and posting these two chapters today! LOL!!

Thanks to George for her wonderful help as my beta.


	37. What Matters Most

**DISCLAIMER:** The characters do not belong to me…they are all the creation of the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. All are human.

**What Matters Most**

**Edward's POV**

I looked over at Bella again, my heart aching at the thought of how very close I'd come to losing her. If we'd been late to the hospital, or if Dr. Johnson hadn't been watching so closely…I knew I needed to stop thinking that way, but I couldn't seem to figure out how. I kept waiting to get upset about the fact that we couldn't have any more children, but it never came. My only worry was keeping Bella healthy and at my side.

"I can't wait to see Charlie again," Bella said, breaking me from my thoughts.

"I'm sure he can't wait either, Love," I replied, lifting her hand and kissing the back of it.

The baby was home with my parents. I'd thought it best for me to bring Bella home alone, letting her be relaxed during the trip since I knew the house would be a flurry of noise and excitement as soon as we arrived. Everyone was there, waiting to welcome Bella home. I'd managed to get Alice to agree to just a banner and a few balloons instead of the all-out party she'd wanted. I understood my sister was trying to show her love, but neither Bella nor I could handle a party right now. I'd been without my wife for the last three days and I was not in a sharing mood. She'd stubbornly made me go home with our son while she stayed stuck in the hospital. The only reason I'd given in was because my mother had stayed with Bella, assuring me she would call if anything at all happened.

"Has he done anything new since we talked yesterday?" Bella asked.

"No," I chuckled. "He's a little young to be doing much of anything. The only change is the consistency of his poop. And the smell."

"How many diapers have you changed so far?"

"Plenty. I don't have an exact number."

"Does he still want to eat every four hours?"

"Bella, you haven't missed anything. I promise you," I told her. "So please relax."

"I am relaxed, but I'm also excited. I missed you so much, Edward."

"That's what you get for making me go home," I teased, smiling at her.

"Charlie needed you."

I didn't say anything more, not wanting to argue with her. In my opinion, he was the healthy one and Bella was the one who needed me. She was going to be on bed rest for the rest of this week, and only allowed limited activity for the next six to eight weeks while she healed. And I didn't care how stubborn she wanted to be, she was going to listen to those instructions even if I had to tie her to the bed.

I hadn't even turned the car off before our family came spilling out of the front door. "I think they're excited to have you home," I chuckled, as Bella sighed heavily. She was happy to see everyone, but she was not looking forward to the attention.

Emmett opened her door and carefully lifted her out of the car, carrying her into the house. I'd expected her to argue with him, but she didn't say a single word. Either she'd decided not to be stubborn or she wasn't being completely truthful about how much pain she was in this afternoon. I really hoped it was the first reason.

Jasper helped me get Bella's bags out of the trunk and we carried them into house, dropping them near the front door. "She's home, Edward. Try to relax a little," he whispered.

I just nodded, wondering how he'd feel if our positions were reversed and I was telling him that about Alice. I wondered if he'd be as close to snapping and yelling as I was. It was all too fresh for me to just forget about it. I was sure I would calm down with time, but I would never forget how close I'd come to losing my wife.

"Where's Charlie?" Bella asked as my mother hugged her.

"He's in Lily's crib in Emmett and Rosalie's room," Esme replied. "Edward and you will be staying in there until you're cleared to be going up and down the stairs."

"I was a little worried I'd come home and find a new wing to the house just to keep me on the ground floor," Bella said with a nervous laugh. She'd expressed that worry over the phone on more than one occasion in the past couple of days.

"I would never allow such a thing," Esme assured her. "You are temporarily in need of our help, but you will be back on your feet in no time, Bella."

"Is this enough pillows?" Alice asked, trying to fluff the exact one Bella was leaning against.

"It's fine," Bella laughed, pushing Alice's hands away.

"She needs a blanket over her legs. Emmett, get her a blanket," Alice ordered.

"There's one right here," Rose laughed, draping it over Bella's legs. "Relax yourself, Pixie. You're starting to stress _me_ out."

I wasn't sure if it was the pregnancy doing it, but Alice had taken Bella's…_incident_ nearly as hard as me. I wrapped my arms around my sister and hugged her tightly. "Remember what we talked about," I whispered into her ear. "Be brave for Bella so that we don't upset her."

"Right," Alice whispered back. When she spoke up for the family, she sounded much more chipper. "Jasper set up the baby's playpen for you," she announced, pointing at it. "We know you can't move around much for awhile and I figured you'd want Charlie close."

"Thanks, Alice, but I won't be able to bend over for awhile," Bella replied, frowning a little.

"Oh, right," Alice pouted. And then she started smiling again. "Easy to fix! Emmett, go put the playpen up in the baby's room and bring down the bassinet out of Edward's room. It's just the right height for Bella to be sitting and get the baby without bending."

"Whatever you say, Pixie," Emmett said as he got to his feet.

"And be quiet on the stairs so you don't wake the baby," Rose warned him.

"Got it," he huffed, lifting the playpen up and heading for the stairs with it. "Trade the big thing for the tiny thing and do it without noise so I don't wake the really tiny thing."

"You know these pillows are great, but not quite what I want," Bella said, tugging at my hand. "Sit with me."

I gladly moved her pillows and sat behind her. Alice helped me to stack the pillows onto my lap and Bella laid against them, smiling up at me. With a big, goofy grin on my face, I leaned down and kissed her forehead. "Welcome home, Love," I whispered.

"Now this is nice," she sighed happily.

"Bee-bee," Lily said, patting her aunt's arm lightly. "Baby?"

"Not in my tummy any more," Bella said with a laugh. "He's sleeping upstairs."

The baby monitor crackled and Charlie's soft whimpers came out of the speakers. "Not anymore," I chuckled, glancing at my watch. "He's pretty consistent with his waking and sleeping for now."

"I'll get him," Jasper offered. "I could use the practice."

"Wait until you see him with Charlie," Alice chirped. "It is _so_ cute! I can't wait to see him with our own babies." Alice and Jasper had been staying here the past couple of days, helping me with the baby since my mother had been at the hospital with Bella. Jasper was already better with the diaper changes than I seemed to be; mostly because I was so scared of accidentally hurting Charlie. Not only did I have the cord to worry about, we'd had him circumcised and I had to be careful not to let the diaper rub against either area.

The monitor clicked on again and we could all hear Jasper's voice. "It's okay, little man. Uncle Jasper is here to get you. We'll just check your diaper and then bring you down to see someone very important."

"I think that means you," I said to Bella, getting her to smile.

Charlie started to cry in earnest and Bella looked so stricken. "It's okay," I said, trying to calm her. "Jasper's probably changing the baby's diaper. He doesn't like it when we take his blanket off of him," I explained.

Bella nodded, but she didn't seem to relax at all. I smiled at how protective she already seemed to be with the limited amount of time she'd had with our little boy.

"Let's have you sit up a little so that you can feed Charlie," I suggested, trying to take her mind off of his cries. I got up and Rose helped me move the pillows and Bella so that she was resting comfortably and could easily feed the baby.

"Here's his boppy pillow, too," Alice said, handing it to Bella. "Set him against it and then you just have to hold his bottle."

A few minutes later, Jasper came into the room with Charlie nestled in his arms. "Ready for your surprise, Charlie? She sure looks ready for you," he said, smiling as he held the baby for Bella to see him clearly.

"Did you miss me?" she cooed, kissing the baby's forehead. "Because I sure missed you."

"Without a doubt," Jasper assured her, setting the baby on the pillow and Bella's legs. "I hope his crying didn't worry you. He's really not fond of us taking his blanket off."

"That's what Edward said," Bella chuckled, fingering the corner of the baby's blue blanket.

"Here's his bottle," Rose said, passing it to Bella.

"And his spit-up cloth," Alice added as she draped the cloth over Bella's shoulder.

"It's a good thing Lily came first so we could have practice before this little man joined us," Bella chuckled as she slipped the tip of the bottle into Charlie's mouth.

"Alright, stop hovering and go back to what you were doing," my mother demanded, clapping her hands softly so she wouldn't startle the baby.

"Baby," Lily yelled happily.

"I'm going to take her outback to play and get rid of some of her energy," Rose said, lifting her daughter up into her arms. "Want to go swing, Lily?"

"Yeah," Lily laughed, clapping her little hands.

"Let's go make use of the swing set Grandpa Carlisle got you. Alice, care to join us?" Rose asked.

"Would love too," Alice chuckled.

"Come on, Emmett," Jasper said. "We can toss the ball around while I keep an eye on my wife."

My dad stayed in the living room, reading his paper—he'd promised me he would stay close by to monitor Bella for me. I sat down on the end of the sofa, putting Bella's feet across my lap. She smiled at me quickly before turning her full attention back to our little boy.

"Would either of you like anything to eat?" my mother asked, her hands on my shoulders.

"Not just yet," I replied, patting her hand.

"Let me know when you change your mind," she said, kissing my cheek.

"This is really nice," Bella said, looking around the living room. "I was really worried the house would be too busy and everyone would be making a big deal of things."

"I was too," I told her, smiling at her. "He's almost done already," I chuckled, looking at Charlie's bottle.

"Does he have a particular way he likes to be burped?"

"Not that I've noticed. I just lean back so that he's resting comfortably against my shoulder and then I pat the middle of his back lightly until he burps two or three times."

"Then that's how I'll do it too," she replied with a big smile. She yawned and laughed at herself. "And then I think I'm going to have to take a nap."

"Then we'll get you upstairs and you can nap in the room with Charlie. My mom brought our pillows and blankets down for you to make sure you'd be comfortable."

"I just got home, though, and I really don't want to leave you just yet."

"So I'll just take a nap with you then."

"Hear that, Charlie," Bella cooed, lifting him up to her shoulder. "Those are sweet words from your daddy. He does that a lot for Mommy and it's one of the many reasons I love him so much," she said as she patted his back. He whimpered a little before finally burping for her. "That's my sweet boy," she whispered, setting him against her chest. She rested her head against her pillows, checking out each of Charlie's tiny little fingers; I couldn't stop smiling as I watched her with him.

In a matter of minutes, the two most important people in my life were sound asleep, both of them looking completely content.

"I slept that way with both Alice and you when you were that tiny," my mother whispered, sitting on the arm of the sofa.

"Is she comfortable like that?" I asked, a little worried.

"More than you can know," my mother replied. "I know it's hard for you, but try not to worry too much, son."

"Can I trouble you for a sandwich?" I asked. "I don't want to leave them."

"I understand," she said, smiling at me. "And I've got something a lot more filling than a sandwich. Rose made chicken stew and I'll fix you a big bowl. Would you like tea with it?"

I grinned at her. "Could you make some coffee instead?"

"Sure," she chuckled. "I'll be right back."

"Jasper, you suck," Emmett bellowed as he came back in through the front door.

"Em!" I hissed at him.

"Oh, sorry," he said as softly as he could manage. "She okay?"

"Just sleeping," I assured him.

Emmett grinned happily as he leaned over the back of the sofa, looking down at Bella and Charlie. "I never imagined I'd see my little sister with her very own baby. She looks happy, Eddie."

"Yeah, she does," I agreed. And I planned to do all I could to keep it that way.

The rest of the day remained fairly calm as Bella laughed and chatted with our family. I couldn't begin to describe how happy it made me to have her here and safe, which made me also equally unable to understand why I felt so upset at the same time.

"Edward, let's go refresh Bella's drink and see if we can find her something to snack on," my father said, gripping my shoulder.

"Oh, a snack sounds great," Bella said with a big smile. "Something chocolate would be heavenly."

"We'll see what we can do," my dad chuckled as we headed for the kitchen.

He had me walk in first and then he closed the door behind me. I'd almost forgotten it even had a door to close since it hadn't been used in so long.

"Have a seat, son," he said, nodding toward the table. Once we were both sitting, he gripped my arm and smiled at me. "Keep in mind that I'm speaking from experience and I understand the distinction between saying and doing. But, son, you have to let this fear go. Yes, Bella came very close to dying, but she didn't. She's here and getting healthier every minute. Sitting there and wondering what might have happened is just causing yourself more pain. You need to throw yourself into being a great husband and father, and let everything else go."

"I keep trying to do that," I told him. "But I just don't know how."

"You have to figure it out, and quickly. Your mother and Bella are very similar and I'm pretty sure she'll go through the same things your mother did."

"What's that mean for us?"

"Well, Bella is going to be very emotional in the next couple of months. First, she's going to be annoyed at how little she'll be allowed to help with the baby. Then as she finally is able to be a mother to her son, she'll start to think about how this is the only time she'll ever get to enjoy these moments since she can no longer have children. She'll be angry about that and then she'll feel guilty for being angry when she has so much to be thankful for. And when she gets past all of that, she'll find her happiness again and share that with you."

"Any suggestions for me?"

"Try to include her as much as you can in caring for the baby. Even if all you do is lay Charlie on her lap while you change his diaper. Every little bit will help her feel included and useful. Talk to her as often as you can, try to draw out how she's feeling without pushing too hard."

"Thank you. And if you could…"

He smiled, knowing just what I wanted to say. "I'll pull you aside, just like I did tonight and we'll chat again. We'll talk as often as you need it, Edward. Now, let's find a snack for your wife and rejoin our family. I figure you have about a half hour with us before Charlie wakes again. Might I suggest you take Bella upstairs and call it an early night?"

"That sounds really good," I agreed, managing to smile a little.

Later that night as I fed Charlie and watched Bella sleep, I thought about my father's suggestions and how I could move forward. And then I wondered if maybe I was over-thinking, remembering that day in the attic with my mother. If I was busy living a life with Bella, then I wouldn't have time to worry about anything else.

"What do you think, little man?" I whispered to Charlie as I burped him. "You think that might work for your worry-wart father?" He gave out a rather loud burp in response and I chuckled as I wiped at his mouth.

Now that he was dry and full, his little brown eyes started to droop. I hummed Bella's lullaby as I held him close, sending him off to sleep without any trouble. I carefully laid him in his crib, just as my mother had shown me, and stood near him for a few minutes just to make sure he was deeply asleep.

I crawled back into bed and laid next to Bella, missing the feel of her in my arms. It would be a few weeks before that would be possible again since her stomach was so tender right now. So I contented myself with holding her hand as I closed my eyes and tried to get some rest.

Over the next couple of days, Bella and I started to create our own routine with Charlie. Her pain medication made it easy for her not to wake in the night with the baby and be rested in the morning, so as soon as my mother was up, I would get to nap while she kept an eye on the baby and Bella. I would get up around lunchtime and my mother would go out to do her errands while I spent time with my wife and son.

On this particular day, we were giving Charlie a bath together. After thinking about it for awhile, I'd decided the best way to let Bella be apart of this was to use the kitchen sink. That way, she could stand and easily reach the baby without hurting herself. Plus, that little sprayer attachment would be a handy tool.

"Your first bath," Bella cooed, holding Charlie as I set the water temperature. I didn't want to correct her assumption and hurt her feelings. This would actually be his second bath. The first has been a necessity since I hadn't quite got his diaper on correctly and it had leaked all over his little body on his first day home. "Edward, do you have the camera down here?" she asked.

"Yes, Love. It's that silver object to the right of you," I chuckled.

"Daddy thinks he's funny, Charlie. Mommy doesn't," she said, grinning at me.

"So why are you smiling?"

Her smile widened as she looked up at me. "Because I'm the luckiest woman in the world with my two perfect men."

"Someone is in a very good mood this afternoon."

"It's the first day that my legs aren't feeling like jelly when I walk around. Not that I can go far or anything, but it still feels nice."

"Want to talk to me about it while we give this little man his bath?" I asked, helping her to unsnap the baby's outfit.

"You start snapping pictures and I'll talk," she said.

"Deal." I grabbed the camera and took a picture of her easing the outfit over Charlie's little head.

Bella gave out a little sigh before she started talking. "It feels really odd to be so weak for so long. It's a little scary too. I mean, I know I'm going to get better and get to do for myself again, but it doesn't really feel that way right now. And I'm sad that I can't do much for Charlie right now. I just…I had this image in my head of what it would be like after he was born and…well, it's not possible."

"Not right now, but it will be soon, Bella. It's just going to take a little time and then we'll make sure you get to do everything you planned on with this wonderful little boy of ours."

"So what's the best way to do this?" she asked as I tossed the baby's diaper into the trash.

"Well, I was thinking I could hold him in his little tub while you do the actual washing. My dad said we have to be really careful around his belly button and wee-wee."

"Wee-wee?" Bella snorted. "Really, Edward! What are we? Four?"

"It's my mother's word," I said, rolling my eyes at her.

"Sure it is," she replied, not looking for a second like she believed me.

"Let's just get him bathed." I kept my hand under Charlie's head as I set him into the seat.

Bella pulled out the sprayer and started at Charlie's feet, slowly moving up so that his skin was nice and wet. I grabbed the camera with my free hand and took a picture of Bella holding the sprayer and then one of Charlie's face as the water touched his stomach.

"He seems to like it," she mentioned, smoothing the water over his chest. "He's not crying so far."

"He's hardly cried since he was born. The most he's done is that little whimper thing."

She nodded as she kept going and when she got to his face, I put down the camera and placed my hand over his eyes and nose so he wouldn't get squirted. Bella wet the little bit of hair he had, filled the bottom of his tub, and then turned off the water. "No tears formula," she said as she squirted the soap into her hands. "It better be no tears. I'll sue them if my little man cries."

"I think I'd like to see you try," I chuckled.

"Do you doubt my desire to protect this perfect little man?" Bella cooed, rubbing her nose against Charlie's.

"I think you better hurry with the washing," I said as the baby started to whimper.

"It's okay, little man," Bella said softly, soaping up his foot. "Look at this perfect little foot of yours. Five little toes and that cute little arch, just like your daddy's foot. When does he laugh, Edward? I can't wait to see if he's as ticklish as you are."

"I think my book said it would happen around three or four months."

"So far away?" she asked with a pout.

"It's not that far," I chuckled.

"Move to the side just a little so I can get his arms easier," Bella instructed.

I did as she said, smiling as she bathed our little boy with such tenderness and care. She seemed to really be enjoying herself.

By the time we had Charlie all rinsed off and wrapped in a towel, Bella was looking exhausted. "Why don't we take him into the living room so you can sit down while we get him dressed?" I suggested.

"Yeah, I'd like that," she said, trying to smile.

I held Charlie against me with one arm and helped Bella into the living room with my other. Once she was stretched out across the sofa, I laid the baby on her chest and she leaned her head forward, pressing her lips to his head.

I smiled as I started to dry him off. "Now we've got you both resting comfortably."

"Yeah, this is better," she yawned, holding one of Charlie's hands in her own.

By the time I had him dried and dressed, they were both out cold. For whatever reason, Charlie seemed to sleep best when he was on Bella's chest this way. I kissed and covered them both, and then just watched them for a bit, enjoying the sight of my healthy and safe family. Loving and providing for these two was what mattered most in my life, and that was all I needed to focus on. It was just a lot easier said than done so far. But I would manage it because I had no choice—I'd promised Bella a wonderful life and I kept all of my promises to her.

* * *

We're only going to have one chapter this weekend, but I hope you found at as sweet as I did! I hope to have two again next week, so I'll be writing like mad to get it done! I'm going to attempt to have Alice tell us about the birth of her twins in her own words, so we'll see how that goes! Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Thanks to George for her beta help!


	38. Ups and Downs

**DISCLAIMER:** The characters do not belong to me…they are all the creation of the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. All are human.

**Ups and Downs of Motherhood**

**Bella's POV**

I sighed as I rested on the sofa, holding Charlie's stuffed giraffe and feeling a bit sorry for myself. Edward had Charlie with him at the pediatrician's office this afternoon—I hadn't been able to go today, just like I'd been stuck at home two weeks ago when Edward had taken Charlie in to get checked out after the cord had fallen off. Since I still couldn't sit in a chair for long periods of time, a car ride plus a long wait in the doctor's office was not allowed. I wanted to be better so badly that I hadn't even asked to go today, knowing it would only hurt me to try. It was better to sit and sulk while healing than to get what I wanted and stay in pain longer. This whole experience had definitely changed the way I looked at things, getting rid of a big chunk of my stubbornness in the process.

"How are you, Sweetheart?" Esme asked, walking into the room with one of her many gardening books.

"I'm sulking," I answered honestly. Esme and I had been talking a lot lately and I didn't hold anything back with her, knowing she'd been through this herself.

"I thought you might be," she said with a smile as she sat down in the chair across from me. "You know, I secretly cursed Carlisle from the moment he left the house with Edward until he returned my baby to me."

"Does Carlisle know that?" I chuckled.

"Not a clue," she laughed. "You aren't required to share every thought with your husband. And right now, a lot of those thoughts you have are only temporary and not worth the trouble that would be caused by sharing them."

"I think Carlisle had a talk with Edward," I blurted out.

"I'm sure he has," Esme chuckled. "Why do you sound so surprised by that?"

"It's not that they talked. It's that Edward _listened_. He hasn't been bugging me to tell him how I feel and he's really been going out of his way to let me help with Charlie. Well, not that I can really do much yet."

"What's your favorite so far?"

I smiled wide enough to stretch my cheeks. "When Edward lets me have Charlie nap on my chest. I love having him so close, smelling that baby scent and feeling his warm little body against mine."

Esme nodded in understanding. "Edward had so much hair when he was that young and it would tickle my chin when I cuddled with him."

"I worry about what's going to happen in a couple of weeks. Edward has to go back to work and I still can't get out of the bed on my own."

"What you'll do is allow him the chance to do it all on his own. And then when he fails from lack of sleep, Carlisle and I will step in and help until you can be up with the baby. But just between you and me, if you keep doing just as the doctor says, I think you'll be able to get up much sooner than you expect."

"I hope so. It's funny because I wasn't sure if I wanted to breastfeed while I was pregnant, but now that I can't do it, I want to so badly."

"Are you still using your pump?"

"And washing the milk down the drain," I replied with a nod. "But if I can get to where I can stop taking the pills, then the medicine will clear out of my system and I'll be able to do it. If Charlie even wants that. He'll probably be too used to the bottles, though," I sighed, feeling sad at the thought of completely missing that experience.

"Sweetheart, I know how hard this is, but try not to worry just yet. I had the same fear with Edward and it ended up being for nothing."

"Really?"

"Yes," Esme chuckled. "I was so ecstatic, Bella. I honestly considered throwing myself a party to celebrate. Of course, inviting the garden club over just because I could breastfeed would have been a bit hard to explain properly."

"And I guess I should be happy Edward is getting so much time Charlie now since he'll have a big chunk of that time taken away when he goes back to work," I said.

"Just know that whether you feel happy, or sad, or jealous about it, it doesn't mean you're a bad mother, or wife, or person. You're just someone who is dealing with a loss. It's hard for someone who hasn't been through this to understand what it's like, to understand the grief. The loss of being able to create and give life is very similar to losing a loved one."

I nodded my head, wondering once again when those emotions and feelings of loss would completely hit me. Other than the occasional feelings of annoyance at not being able to do more, I was immensely thrilled to be home with Charlie. And speaking of my baby…"How much longer until they get home?" I asked, trying hard not to whine.

"A while," Esme chuckled. "You know, it's a beautiful day. Would you like to take a walk with me in the yard?"

"Actual sunshine and fresh air on my skin? I'd be nuts to not want that," I said excitedly.

"Just a leisurely stroll," Esme cautioned.

"Absolutely," I agreed without hesitation. "I promise to say something the second I start to feel tired."

Esme helped me up from the sofa with only a few groans and grunts on my part. I was practically giddy as she opened the front door and the warm late summer breeze hit my face. Esme helped me down the steps and then I was standing in the yard with the sun beaming down on my face.

"Edward and Charlie were born at just the right time of the year to allow for this," Esme mused. "To be cooped inside because of wintry conditions would make an impossible situation even worse."

Her words brought back my earlier thoughts and I looked up at her. "I haven't gotten angry about it. Is that odd?" I asked as we started to walk across the yard together.

"I think it just hasn't sunk in yet. But when it does, you'll deal with it. And if you're the smart young woman I know you are, you'll let Edward help you through it."

"Do you…do you think he blames me at all?" I asked, biting at my lip.

"Oh, no, Sweetheart. Never think that for a second."

"He's never brought it up, not once."

"That's because he's still hurting from how very close he came to losing you, Bella. It scares him to think about that day at all."

"Why hasn't he said something?"

"I believe he's trying very hard to follow a piece of advice he was given and that it hasn't occurred to him to share that knowledge and goal with you. I also think you should allow Carlisle and I to spoil the baby tonight so that Edward and you can spend some time together. I think you would both benefit from a night of relaxation and talking."

We were just making it to the backdoor and already I was feeling worn out. "That's the end of this walk," I sighed.

"Halfway around the house isn't bad at all," Esme said as she helped me up the back porch steps. "We'll get you comfortable on the sofa and then I'll bring you a big glass of iced tea to cool off with."

"Sounds great. Thank you so much, Esme."

"It's no trouble at all, dear. And I really do mean that."

I sank down onto the sofa and against all of those pillows and realized just how tired I was from my little walk. A huge yawn escaped me, making Esme chuckle.

"Should I hold off on the tea until you're sure you'll be awake for it?" she asked.

"Probably," I said, yawning again.

She pulled the blanket from the back of the sofa and I swear the second she had it tucked around me, I was out. I was actually surprised it had taken me so long. I'd managed to stay up half the night with Edward and the baby, much to my loving husband's displeasure. Charlie had decided a week ago that he liked being awake during the night a lot better than the daytime and I was trying to help Edward get him back onto schedule. Plus, I needed the practice since Edward would be going back to work soon.

"Tell her, Charlie. Say 'wake up, Mommy'," a familiar voice whispered.

A felt a puff of warm air on my cheek and a small hand just below my throat. I smiled and forced my eyes to open, finding my sweet baby boy right away.

Edward chuckled as he settled the baby into my arms and Charlie immediately wrapped his little fingers up in my hair. "Don't hurt Mommy," Edward said softly as he freed my hair.

"My little man would never do that," I cooed, kissing Charlie's little hand. "What did the doctor say?"

"That this little guy is healthy and right on schedule with other babies his age. I explained about the night owl business and he said that we should keep the lights out and not really talk when Charlie wakes in the night. He says if we do that for awhile, Charlie will figure out nighttime is for sleeping and will get back on schedule."

"That's my boy," I sighed, hugging him close. "Happy and healthy, and just perfect."

"And he has a set of lungs on him," Edward chuckled.

"What are you talking about?" I asked nervously. My little man only gave out a real cry when we took his blanket off, and it wasn't really that loud.

"Charlie got his first immunization shot today. He _really_ didn't care for it."

I slapped Edward on the shoulder as hard as I could. "You let them stick a needle in my baby," I fussed, trying to keep my voice from scaring Charlie.

"Bella, we discussed this," Edward said calmly. "Charlie has to have his shots, just like any other baby. I promise you that I held him while the nurse gave him the shot, and I hummed your lullaby to him to calm him right away. He'll never remember it."

"I know what we'll do, baby," I cooed, ignoring Edward's rational explanation. I understood the need for the shots, but I couldn't stand the thought of Charlie being in pain. "We'll give you a warm bubble bath. Mommy knows how much you enjoy them."

"Especially now that he's figured out how to kick those little legs of his," Edward chuckled. "But the bath will have to wait. It's almost time for his bottle. Do you want the feeding honors, Mommy?"

"Like you even need to ask, Daddy," I said, smiling at Edward.

He leaned forward and kissed me. "I love you."

"Do that again and prove it," I challenged.

He gave me my favorite dimpled smile and then pressed his lips to mine again. The kiss was just starting to get good when Charlie interrupted by smacking his little hand against Edward's cheek and making us laugh.

"I'm pretty sure he just told you to stop kissing me and go get his bottle," I said, still laughing a little.

"He can wait a few more minutes."

"No, _you_ can wait. Esme offered to watch Charlie tonight so that you and I could have a night off from baby duty. I think it's a really good idea. And the perfect opportunity to share more kisses."

"Just remember you aren't allowed to get carried away."

"Trust me, Edward. There's no way for me to forget."

"Well, as long as you think it's a good idea, then I'm fine with it."

"I would really like to just lie in bed and relax with you. I'll miss having Charlie with us, but I really think we should do this."

"Alright, Love," Edward said, smiling at me. "I'll be right back."

"Take your time. Charlie and I will keep each other entertained," I chuckled. I carefully lifted Charlie up, making sure I didn't stretch my stomach muscles and smiled at my baby boy. "What an exciting night you have ahead of you. A warm bottle, a nice bubble bath, and then time with Grandma and Grandpa."

Charlie's hand found its way to my lips and I laughed as I kissed his little fingers. His lips twitched, looking like he was trying to smile.

"Come on, Charlie. You can do it. Smile for Mommy," I urged, practically begging.

His lips twitched again, but instead of smiling, he blew baby bubbles at me. I laughed and snuggled him close, kissing his little forehead.

"It's okay, little man. You'll smile when you're ready," I told him. "Mommy missed you so much while you were gone. I know it might not look like it since I was sleeping when you got home, but I promise that you were missed every single second."

"I thought I'd heard Edward's voice," Esme chuckled as she peeked over the sofa at Charlie and me. "How was the doctor's visit?"

"Your son let them stick a big, mean needle in your grandson's leg," I said around Charlie's fingers as he tried to pull on my bottom lip.

"Immunization time already? Well, he is four weeks old now so that's just about right."

"I talked to Edward about tonight and he's fine with you taking Charlie for the night."

"It makes it a bit easier to let go since we're only down the hall," Esme chuckled.

"Have I told you yet today how much I appreciate all of the help Carlisle and you are giving us?"

Esme smiled and kissed my forehead. "I'm reminded of life with you just after your first Christmas with us. You thanked us every day for close to a year and a half before we got you to stop."

"I really do appreciate it, Esme." And then I started crying for no good reason that I could figure out. "I love you all so much."

"Oh, we know, Bella," she said softly, pressing her head to mine. "It's okay, Sweetheart. I know it's hard to see it right now, but everything's going to get better. You'll heal and get to be the mother you long to be, and with Edward at your side, you'll be great parents to this special little man."

"Everything okay?" Edward asked, walking into the room as I wiped at my wet face.

"Sure," I said, giving him a smile. "Just thanking your mom for all of her help."

Edward handed me the bottle and then kissed his mother's cheek. "Thank you, Mom."

"You're giving me the best 'thank you' possible," Esme said, patting his cheek. "You're letting me have my grandson all to myself. I _might_ let your father help me, if he's lucky," she added with a laugh.

"What a lucky boy you are," I cooed to Charlie as he sucked hungrily on his bottle. "Grandma loves you so much she doesn't want to share."

"Very lucky," Edward agreed, holding Charlie's little hand. "So how has your afternoon been, Love?" Edward asked as he smiled at me.

"I made it halfway around the house with your mom before I got tired. Well, my legs got really tired anyway."

"What about your stomach?"

"Still hurts a lot to get up at first, but lying down is barely anything now. I think my impromptu nap had more to do with staying up last night than anything."

"I warned you," he chuckled.

I ignored his teasing as I moved Charlie to my shoulder to burp him. "When we go out for our walk after dinner, can we go to our spot?"

"That depends on if you can make the walk back."

"Well, I made it around the house twice yesterday morning and then twice last night, so that's about the same distance there and back. And I _did_ have a nap today."

"Then we'll take our time and give it a try."

I smiled at Edward, loving that he was being so supportive and not trying to keep me locked up in the house. I'd been worried that even with my doctor's permission, Edward was going to try to force me to stay in bed. But nope! Not only was he taking the walks with me, he was even urging me to go a little further every time we went out.

Charlie finally burped, letting out one that was loud and long…and wet! "Edward! Catch it before it gets on the sofa!" I squeaked, pulling Charlie away from my shoulder. I used his bib to wipe up the rest of his spit-up while Edward used the burp cloth to clean up the back of my shirt.

"Bella, you're going to have to take a shower before dinner. It's in your hair," he said with a hint of laughter in his voice.

"I dare you to laugh, Tutor-boy," I warned him. I looked down at my son who was watching Edward like a hawk. "Do you see Daddy? He's cleaning up the mess you made, little man. But don't you worry. Mommy's not upset at all—she finally gets to have a real shower because of you."

"Can you make it up the steps with Charlie while I grab clothes for us all?" Edward asked.

I was so excited that he was even _considering_ letting me try the stairs with Charlie. And because of that, I wanted to make sure I was earning the trust he was giving. "Honestly, I'm not sure enough of my legs to risk it. So I think you should carry Charlie and then I can hold him in the bathroom while you get our clothes."

"That sounds like a great plan," Edward replied with a big smile. "Mom?" he called out.

Esme came into the room wiping her hands on a dishtowel. "Yes, Dear?"

"Charlie has made it necessary for Bella to have a shower and since we were already planning to bathe him tonight, we're just going to bring him into the shower," Edward told her. "After we have him cleaned up, would you want to take him? If you're not ready that early, that's fine. I just thought I would offer."

"Of course I want to take him," Esme chuckled. She took Charlie into her arms and gave him four quick kisses on his cheek. "Grandma wants all the time she can get with her grandson."

"And his Mommy wants the rest of his bottle out of her hair," I sighed. "Little man, it might taste good to you going down, but once it's on Mommy, it stinks."

"Come on, Love," Edward chuckled as he helped me up from the sofa. "Let's get you cleaned up."

I hissed a little as my stomach muscles tightened, but once I was standing up straight, the pain faded to a dull throb. "I can't wait for that to stop hurting," I muttered, resisting the urge to wrap an arm around my stomach.

Edward took the baby from Esme and the three of us made our way to the second floor. I couldn't wait until we could move back up to the third floor and for Charlie to see his room, but that was still a couple of weeks away at least. We went into the large guest bathroom and Edward passed me the baby, giving us both a kiss before he left us.

"Are you ready to play in the water, little man?" I asked as I held Charlie against me. "Daddy's going to have to hold you in there, but that's okay. That just means Mommy gets to wash your little hands and feet and get you smelling all clean."

"And Mommy too," Edward chuckled as he came back into the bathroom. He had all of our clothes in one arm…and Charlie's bouncy seat in the other. Not only could I not undress my son or hold him in the shower, he had to sit around and wait for his father to undress his mother. I held Charlie tighter against me, trying to think only of him and push away the sadness I was feeling.

Edward set down Charlie's seat, making sure it was far enough onto the counter to be safe. I passed Charlie to him, wishing I could bend over the little distance it would take to safely buckle Charlie in.

"What are you thinking?" Edward asked as he pulled Charlie's tiny blue polo shirt over his head.

"Just ready to shower and get the smell out," I said, trying to smile.

"Why don't you undress while I get the baby ready?" Edward suggested.

He pulled down Charlie's little khaki shorts and my eyes landed on the band-aid on his little thigh. I had to fight back the tears as I lightly ran my finger over it. My little boy had gotten a shot and I hadn't even been there to make him feel better.

"Bella, I promise you it doesn't hurt him any longer," Edward said softly, rubbing my back with his free hand.

"You know if he does remember and he's afraid of needles for life, I'm so teaching him to blame you," I teased, trying to lighten my own mood.

Edward laughed as he gently laid Charlie onto a towel on the counter. "If I agree to take the fall, will you let go of 'Tutor-boy'?"

"Not on your life," I chuckled as he peeled Charlie's diaper back. I was watching our baby intently while we talked, but Edward was busy watching me—and Charlie had good aim. I covered my mouth, trying hard not to laugh, but that wet spot on the front of Edward's shirt was just too much.

Poor Edward looked so shocked as his eyes darted between his clothes and our son.

"Honey, you've just been baptized," I said, only letting out a small chuckle.

Edward snorted and shook his head as he looked down at Charlie. "You've gotten Mommy and Daddy. Are you happy now?"

The way Charlie's little arms and legs were pumping seemed like a very clear "yes" to me.

Edward decided to fasten Charlie's diaper back for now and then he stripped off his soiled shirt. I started trying to get my own clothes off, hoping I could at least manage my shirt and bra today.

I got the shirt up and over, but I couldn't pull my arms behind my back without causing myself pain. So I just gave up and settled for making faces at Charlie while Edward undressed himself. "His lips twitched today, Edward. I really think he's getting close to smiling for us."

"You're going to throw a party when it finally happens, won't you?" Edward teased, grinning at me.

"Sorry that our baby's milestones are such a thrill for me," I said sarcastically.

"They are for me too, Love, but you look forward to some more than I can comprehend."

"Well, right now, he pretty much makes the same face all of the time. But once he learns to smile, we can really learn what he likes best and what's just okay," I explained. "I want this little man to be as happy as possible, but first, he has to tell me what makes him happy."

"Bella, are you ready?" Edward asked, standing behind me with his hands on my shoulders.

"Yeah, sure," I replied, trying to push away my frustration. Yes, I was once again completely dependent on Edward, but I had to keep reminding myself that I was alive and Charlie was perfectly healthy and those were the things that mattered. It was just so much easier said than done!

Once Edward put all of our dirty clothes into the hamper, he took Charlie out of his seat, dropped his diaper in the trash, and we entered the shower together. As soon as Charlie's little feet found the water, he started moving his arms and legs around even faster, tossing water droplets everywhere and making Edward and me laugh.

"I can't get over how much he loves the water. As soon as he's old enough, we have to teach him to swim," I told Edward.

"By that time it will be winter, so we'll have to wait until the next summer. They can learn very early in life, you know."

"No, I didn't. But thank you for sharing the knowledge, Tutor-boy," I teased.

"Thank you for buying me the book that told me about it," he chuckled.

Charlie's foot landed perfectly in the streaming water and the spray from his kick got me right in the face. I felt my mouth form a perfect "o" of shock and then Edward and I were once again laughing. We pretty much laughed all the way through Charlie's bath, loving the way he was so content to sit in Edward's arms and let me wash him.

As soon as Charlie was rinsed off, Edward left the shower with him so that he could get the baby dried off and passed to Esme. I stood under the spray, letting it beat against my shoulders and back as I listened to Edward speak softly to the baby.

Once again, I found myself feeling rather useless. I couldn't even take my own baby out of the shower and dry him off because I was still weak. The doctor kept assuring me it would get better and that it was just an effect of all the blood I'd lost. But that didn't make me feel any better about being a danger to my son. He could slip out of my arms or I could fall while holding him…

And here I was barely doing anything for my little boy and already I was sending him off for the night. And on the day he'd gotten a shot without me there. I really was the worst mother in the world. I turned my face into the shower, glad that Edward had gone and I could cry in peace. I leaned my head forward against the cool tile, trying to calm myself a little.

My eyes drifted downward and I saw my scar for the first time. It was red in some spots and purple in others, with a slightly puckered look to it. There were blood-soaked strips along the length of the scar, only the very tips were still the natural white color. No injury I'd ever received from my clumsiness had ever looked so disgusting. And this was four weeks later! Oh, God! Edward had been forced to look at this every time he'd given me a sponge bath. He was never going to want to see me naked again when he no longer had to help me.

My crying turned into body-shaking sobs and I had to completely lean on the wall for support. I couldn't even cry without needing help! I wanted to be angry about it, and rage and rail against it, but I just didn't have the energy in me.

A tender hand and a soft towel touched my back, and for once, Edward didn't try to make it better. He washed my back for me and then silently passed me the towel so that I could at least try to do some of this myself. I handled my face, arms, and chest before having to give the towel back. I couldn't even bring myself to clean near my scar; I really had fallen so far. The independent Bella Cullen had turned into a pathetic shell of herself.

As Edward gently passed the towel around my scar, cleaning up the edges without even really touching it, I realized I was thinking about this all wrong. Edward wasn't doing any of this because he had to. He wasn't even doing it because he wanted to—if it was up to him, he would take all of this onto himself so that I could be healthy. No, Edward was being so sweet and taking such great care of me because he _loved_ me, unconditionally and completely. And I loved him just as much; I would do this for him in a second if things were reversed.

Once we were dry and dressed, we stretched out on the bed and Edward turned on the TV. He found "Little Shop of Horrors" playing on one of the stations and we decided to watch that since we both enjoyed it. I didn't laugh at it as much as I normally would have, but at this point, any laughter was a good thing.

Edward yawned as the credits rolled on the movie later that night. "What else would you like to watch?"

"I was sort of hoping we might talk," I said, my voice wavering a little with my nervousness. Esme kept telling me to trust Edward and to let him help me through this, but I wasn't even sure how to explain it.

Edward clicked off the TV and tossed the remote onto the edge of the bed. "Do we even remember how to have a conversation that's not full of cooing and baby talk?" he teased as he smiled at me.

"I think we'll manage," I said, smiling back as he rested his head on my shoulder. I immediately started playing in his hair, glad to be doing something so normal for even just a moment. "I love you," I told him.

"I love you, too, Bella."

"No, I mean, I really love you, Edward. I need you to understand how much I mean that. It's not just words that I say to you because you're my husband. I say them because my heart is so full of warmth and love for you that it feels like it can't quite hold it all of the time. I never thought my heart could handle loving a lot of people, but you fixed it so that it not only holds love for all of our family, it has this whole other part that's just for you."

Edward leaned up on his elbow and smiled at me so sweetly that it brought fresh tears to my eyes. "That's exactly how you make me feel, Isabella. You've helped me to have a life I never dreamed was possible. And then you went above and beyond and gave us a healthy, beautiful baby boy."

I frowned, wondering how he could possibly still hold me in such high regard after everything I'd put him through. First the mood swings, and then James, and now having to practically take care of Charlie by himself.

"Why are you frowning, Love?" he asked, caressing my face with his hand.

I took a deep breath, trying to stay calm and explain to him my feelings. "I feel like such a failure, Edward. I'm Charlie's _mother_, but I do the least for him. I can't even feed him properly. Everyone keeps telling me its only temporary, like that somehow lessons how crappy I feel about it. Esme is the only one who doesn't tell me that. She agrees that it sucks and tells me how mad it made her, and then she tells me of how it felt when it finally got better."

"You spent the last month of your pregnancy talking about all of the things you couldn't wait to do with him. To suddenly have all of that taken away from you, I can understand where it would leave you upset. But you should never, ever feel like a failure, Bella. You may not be able to do much right this second, but you've already done the part the counts most. You _lived_. To me, that's completely worth doing diaper duty and midnight feedings by myself." His emerald eyes backed up his words, showing nothing but love.

"It means a lot to me that you're trying so hard to understand."

"I've learned I'm of more use to you when I listen than when I try to fix everything. I trust that if you really want my help, you'll ask me. It's sometimes hard to wait because I know how stubborn you can be, but I also know that you don't want to miss a minute of our life together, or with Charlie."

"Edward, would you tell me how you feel?" I asked, nervously biting at my lip. I really wanted to know, but I wasn't sure if he was able to talk about it yet. It had taken _me_ four weeks to get up the courage to talk about this and I was the curious one.

"I'm trying really hard to just be happy that I have you and the baby, but sometimes…sometimes I look at you and I think of how close I came to losing you." He shook his head a little as he struggled to swallow. "Bella, I have never been so terrified in my life. I couldn't breath and my chest felt like Emmett was sitting on me. And I couldn't even _see_ you. When the doctor finally took me back to your room, he kept trying to talk to me, but all I wanted was to see you again, and touch you. I needed proof that you had kept your promise and stayed with me."

I wiped away his tears and hugged him to me the best I could. "I love you and I'm sorry for scaring you."

"It's not like you did it on purpose."

"No," I chuckled. "I would never pick this as a way to torture you. I'd rather let Alice pick your clothes out for you.

"I'm sure she still misses that ability," Edward chuckled, kissing my forehead.

I took his hand and held it tightly in mine. "So how do you make those thoughts go away, Edward? How do you find a way to be happy when you still hurt from that day?"

"When I was cleaning out the attic with my mother, I ended up asking her about her life after she and I were released from the hospital. She said that she spent some time being very angry, but she eventually found a way to accept what had happened to her. She said she just kept reminding herself that when you are busy living your life, you don't have enough time to worry about the 'should haves'. So I decided to listen to my mother and give that a try myself."

"I'm glad it helps you. And I think I want to try that myself."

"Is there anything I can do to help, Bella? Is there some way that I can help you to feel more involved with Charlie?"

"Right now, I really do think you're doing all you can. But maybe you could agree it's time for me to start getting up with you in the night. You go back to school in a couple of weeks and you aren't going to be able to work all day and stay up with the baby all night. And Esme has already offered to help me get up with the baby. You could spend the night with us and then when it came time to go to bed, you could head upstairs to our room and Esme and I will handle the baby."

"First of all, I am not sleeping away from you. I won't even be able to sleep without you next to me. Not now," he said. His green eyes were so full of emotion that my own eyes grew moist again. "Secondly, I'm a super-hero, remember? I can handle one little baby and my job without breaking a sweat."

I chuckled at him. "You're going to so eat those words, Edward Cullen. Just as your face slams into a pillow as you pass out from exhaustion."

He pretended to be hurt, even putting his hand over his heart. "Have a little faith in me, Bella."

"I have tons of faith in you, Honey," I said sweetly. "Just not so much in your stamina," I added with a wicked grin.

Edward's grin was much wickeder than mine as he leaned in close, whispering seductively into my ear. "You just wait until you're healed and cleared, Love. I'll prove to you just how much stamina I have."

I couldn't stop my reaction to his words and I started to cry, images of my scar running through my mind.

Edward looked panicked as he tried to figure out what to do with his hands since he couldn't just take me into his arms. "Bella? What did I say? What's wrong?"

"How could you want that? I look hideous," I cried.

"No, Love," he cooed, resting his head next to mine and putting his arm over my chest. "You look beautiful, just like always."

"Stop it, Edward!" I begged. "Stop being nice! I saw the scar."

"You saw the reminder that you brought a baby into the world and survived a life-threatening situation. You saw something that's still healing and won't look nearly as rough as the days pass and it heals more," he said softly, trying to wipe my tears away. "When I see your scar, I see how much you love me. I doubt Dr. Johnson told you this, but I swear I'm telling you the truth. When he took me to your room after, he told me that if you hadn't fought so hard, he wouldn't have been able to save you. So to me, your scar is just a sign of how hard you fought to stay with me."

I didn't say anything back—I just let Edward hold me and comfort me while I thought about how he viewed my scar. Two people looking at the same thing, but perceiving two different things. I think that was exactly why Esme had been pushing me to talk to Edward so much. She knew he would have a different view than I did. If I could find a way to reconcile our differing views, then I could get myself to follow that advice Esme had shared with Edward. And I _would_ find a way. I was Bella Cullen, after all—most stubborn woman in our family.

* * *

**This chapter is dedicated to my Cookie Mom, Lizbre. Her help with this chapter was invaluable and amazing! Big humongous, enthusiastic THANK YOU!!!**

This will be our only chapter this week, but I'll be back with two chapters next weekend. And one of them will even be in Emmett's POV! Yeah for that! And one more thank you to George for her Beta help!**  
**


	39. Baby's First Smile

**DISCLAIMER:** The characters do not belong to me…they are all the creation of the wonderful Stephenie Meyer.

**Baby's First Smile**

**Bella's POV**

The room was so silent, filled only with the sounds of Edward's deep breathing as he slept and my much lighter sounds as I stared up at the ceiling. I knew it couldn't be any earlier than six in the morning and I also knew my son had to be up by now. He always woke between five-forty-five and six in the morning. I wanted to go and get him, but I couldn't get up on my own or bring myself to wake Edward up. He deserved to sleep in with all of the hard work he'd been doing to take care of Charlie and me.

Last night had been the first time Edward and I had really talked since the baby had been born. It had been a tense conversation, often broken up by my crying, but I was glad I'd been able to talk to him about my feelings. And hearing his point of view had definitely helped me to feel a little better about this whole situation. It was nice to know he still saw me as being beautiful and that he really believed I was being the best mother I could be under the circumstances.

The bedroom door opened and Esme peeked in. "Bella?" she called softly.

"I'm awake," I whispered. "Edward's still sleeping."

She came into the room, smiling at the sight of her son sleeping deeply and hugging his pillow. "Good. He needs to catch up on his rest. I had a feeling you might be up, though. Would you like to come downstairs with me? You can feed Charlie and talk with Carlisle and me."

I smiled wide—as if anyone ever needed to ask me if I wanted time with my son. "I would love it. Thank you so much."

Esme helped me up from the bed and I managed to get to my feet without making any noises. If Edward heard the slightest hiss from me, I knew he would be awake in an instant.

"So did the two of you have a nice night?" Esme asked as we walked down the stairs together.

"It was a good night," I replied. "We talked about what happened and about how I'm feeling now. Hearing his viewpoint meant a lot to me and I'm glad I got to talk to him about it. He made it so easy, too, Esme. He _really_ listened to me, and he didn't try to argue with me about how I felt. He just told me his view and that was it. And he told me the advice you gave him about living life and being too busy for regret."

"Good. I'm glad the two of you were able to speak freely and help each other. You already seem so much lighter than you did yesterday. Just know that it's far from over, Bella. You are going to get angry about it before you start to really heal from it. And when it happens, you can't let yourself feel guilty. You have a right to that anger. I certainly had a right to mine."

We walked into the kitchen and I immediately erupted into laughter. Carlisle, my prim and proper father-in-law, was still in his pajamas, with his hair completely disheveled, and he was making the goofiest faces at my little boy.

"Morning, Bella," he chuckled, peering at me over the top of Charlie's head.

"Morning, Carlisle," I replied, carefully lowering myself into the chair next to him. "Having fun?"

"With a grandson as sweet as this little man, how could I not be?" he asked, handing me my baby. "But I think he's ready to get some attention from his mother."

"Hello, little man," I cooed, hugging my baby close. "Mommy missed you last night. Did you sleep well for Grandma and Grandpa?"

"He was his usual night owl self," Esme chuckled. "We did as Edward said, though, and left off the lights."

"But we couldn't resist talking to him a little," Carlisle added. "No more than we could resist Edward or Alice when they were that age."

"I doubt it would have made much difference," I said. "It's going to take a couple of nights for him to start to get the idea anyway. We'll just keep him up today so that he's extra tired tonight."

"Here's his bottle, Dear," Esme said as she placed it on the table. "And his cloth," she added, draping it over my shoulder.

"Okay, little man. I want you to keep this all inside of your little tummy today. No covering Mommy in spit up this early in the day," I said, as he clamped his little lips onto his bottle.

"We're going over to Alice and Jasper's to visit and to give Jasper some relief from Lily," Esme chuckled as she sat down with a coffee cup. "He didn't quite realize what he was agreeing to when he offered to watch Lily while Emmett and Rosalie went on their trip."

My brother and Alice had been getting along very well for the last couple of months and we'd finally learned why. Alice had helped Emmett to plan a long weekend away for just Rose and him. He had taken her to Santa Cruz, California to spend a few days in a house right on the beach.

"It seems the demands of a very pregnant Alice mixed with the demands of an almost two-year old are more than poor Jasper can handle," Carlisle chuckled.

"That doesn't bode well for when the twins arrive," I said, laughing a little.

"Yes, but the fact that they won't be able to move will be in his favor," Carlisle replied.

"We thought it would be nice if we all went," Esme said.

"I think that would be a great idea, but I don't know about Edward," I replied. "He's been pretty agreeable lately about the walking, but I don't know if it extends to me actually leaving the property," I joked.

"We'll convince him," Carlisle assured me. "You need a change of scenery and he needs to visit his sister."

"Hear that Charlie?" I cooed as I lifted him up to my shoulder. "Your first outing where Mommy actually gets to come along," I said, lightly patting his little back.

"What about an outing?" Edward yawned as he entered the room.

"We're going to go visit Auntie Alice and Uncle Jasper," I said just as Charlie burped.

"God, that smells," Edward whined, waving his hand in front of his face.

"That's what you get for trying to kiss him while I'm burping him," I chuckled. I moved Charlie from my shoulder and made sure his little face was clean. "Daddy's a silly one, isn't he?"

Charlie moved his head in my hands, locking those brown eyes of his on Edward's face.

"You see your daddy, little man?" I asked. Charlie's little lips twitched like they had yesterday afternoon. "Edward, did you see it that time? I'm telling you he's going to figure it out and smile any second now."

Edward lifted Charlie up, holding him close and rocking him a little. "Is that right? Are you going to smile for your mommy?" The only answer the baby gave was another burp. "I think it's just gas, Bella," Edward chuckled.

"I wasn't wrong that he was a boy and I'm not wrong about the smiling thing," I told him.

He laughed again as he kissed my cheek. "We'll see, Love."

"Anyway," I said, trying to ignore his teasing. "What do you think about spending the day at Alice and Jasper's?"

Edward shrugged as Charlie tried to get his hand into his daddy's mouth. "As long as you really feel up to that, especially with little Lily running around, it's fine with me."

"It's settled then," Esme said happily. "The three of you can take your time getting ready and we'll leave here about ten or so. In the meantime, we happily return baby duty to you both and we'll be upstairs if you need us."

"Thanks again for watching him last night," Edward said as his parents stood up from the table.

"Anytime, son," Carlisle replied, patting Edward on the shoulder as he passed behind him.

Edward took his father's newly vacated seat, scooting it closer to my chair. "How are you this morning?"

"I'm good. I was hoping you would actually sleep in this morning, though."

He leaned forward, touching his forehead to mine. "I told you last night, Bella, I can't sleep without you next me."

"I love you," I replied, wishing I knew what else to say to ease his pain.

"I love you more," he whispered as he tilted his head. He pressed his lips to mine and gave me the sweetest kiss.

"Why don't I take Charlie and you find us something for breakfast?"

He kissed me once more and then handed me back our son. Charlie whimpered and held tightly to his fist full of Edward's shirt.

"Oh, he missed his daddy," I said, sniffling a little. "That's just so sweet." God, these emotions were ridiculous. They were driving me nuts and Esme said I wouldn't be done with them until I got angry. As scared as I was to go through that, it would be nice to be completely done and moving forward.

**Edward's POV**

I smiled as Bella sniffled and wiped at her eyes. At least these were happy tears and not those lost ones from last night. My parents had warned me that Bella would have mood swings very similar to when she'd first gotten pregnant and that I should do my best to just let her be until she asked for me. It was so hard to do that sometimes, though. Still, she'd talked to me last night, confiding her feelings of shame and failure. I could only hope she had listened to me in return and would believe what I had told her. She really was a wonderful mother so far and I knew she would improve as she healed and was able to do more.

And to think that my angel had thought for even a second that she wasn't beautiful anymore because of her scar! I'd meant every word of what I'd told her last night—that scar was just a sign of our love for each other.

I pushed those thoughts away, focusing on my Bella in this moment. She already felt like she wasn't as close to the baby as I was so I tried to come up with something to make her feel better about Charlie's reaction to me. "He's only doing it because I was the last one up," I told her. I leaned down and set the baby in her arms, prying my shirt from his little fingers. "Daddy's just going to be right over there making breakfast."

"It's okay, little man," Bella cooed, trying to soothe our baby. "Edward, turn my chair so he can watch you."

I did as she asked and then headed over to the refrigerator to see what we might have for breakfast.

"Look, there he is. There's Daddy," Bella said softly.

Charlie's whimpering stopped and I took that to mean he'd found me again with those little brown eyes of his.

"You are too much, little man," Bella chuckled. "But I get it. I love your daddy like crazy too. Is that going to be your first word? Are you going to say 'daddy' before you say anything else?"

"Don't give him ideas like that," I warned, debating internally on bagels or eggs. "You'll have no one to blame but yourself when he does make that his first word."

"Daddy is so silly," Bella told Charlie. "You like that, don't you? Daddy."

Bella suddenly gasped and I resisted the urge to stand up and look over. I had to make more of an effort to let her do things without me rushing over to handle them for her. I had to trust that if she needed me, she would ask.

"Edward, come here," Bella yelled excitedly.

"I'm looking for breakfast foods," I said, teasing her now that I knew she was fine.

"Just get over here so I can show you what our son did," she demanded.

I closed the refrigerator door and walked over to my family, squatting down in front of Bella and Charlie. His little arms and legs were moving around and I took one of his feet into my hand, playfully shaking it a little. "What did you do now, little man?"

"Charlie, Daddy has your foot. Tell Daddy to give it back," Bella said.

I watched in awe as my son smiled at me for the first time, showing off his little pink gums and tongue.

"Bella! When did he start that?" I asked, gently picking him up and holding him in my arms.

"Just now! When I told him you were being silly. As soon as I said the word 'daddy', he started to smile." She was smiling so wide—she hadn't smiled that way in a very long time.

"This is by far the coolest thing I've ever seen," I admitted.

"Pretty funny considering you thought it was _Phantom of the Opera_ just a few years ago."

"Completely different levels, Bella." I hugged Charlie close, giving him a kiss on his cheek. "Thank you for making your mommy smile so wide," I whispered in his ear.

Bella reached out her hand and tickled Charlie under his chin. "Doesn't seem to like that so far. How about 'mommy'? Are you going to smile for Mommy, little man?" she asked, kissing the back of Charlie's little hand. "Nope," she sighed. And then she started to smile again. "Daddy has you, little man?"

Charlie opened his mouth and smiled wide, sending Bella into a fit of giggles.

"I take it you really like this?" I teased, grinning at her.

"He's smiling, Edward! And it's his first milestone that I got to experience first."

"Then you should also be the one to write about it in his baby book."

"But you're handwriting is better than mine and I want Charlie to be able to read it someday. So I'll just tell you what I'd like it to say."

"Sounds like a great compromise, Love."

"Thank you, Honey. Now give me my baby back," she said, smiling as she held her hands out.

"What baby?" I teased, leaning away from her.

"Cullen, don't make me hurt you," she warned. I might have been worried if she hadn't been smiling so wide.

"What do you think, Charlie? Do you want to see your mommy?" I asked, looking down into his little face. I loved that he had Bella's eyes—so bright and inquisitive all of the time.

Charlie started to toss his arms and legs around and I'd learned that was a "yes" in his little world, so I passed him over to Bella. He immediately calmed, nestling his face just above her heart and gripping her shirt in his little hands. Bella laid her cheek against his head and closed her eyes, that big smile still on her beautiful face.

"He really loves when you hold him," I told her. "I know it doesn't feel like you do much right now, but maybe you can take comfort in the fact that Charlie enjoys everything you do with him, no matter how small."

Bella's eyes opened as she reached out her hand, wrapping it around mine and squeezing my fingers. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For keeping me as involved with Charlie as you can. It means so much, Edward."

"Just remember this for the next time you get mad at me," I joked, leaning up and kissing her lips. "Now, do you want eggs or bagels for breakfast?"

**Bellas's POV**

"A bagel with cream cheese, please," I told him. "Oh, and _coffee_!" I added. "I love that I can have my coffee again. And as soon as I'm on my feet, I'm making all of the meals for a month to give you a break."

"I'm holding you to that," Edward assured me as he headed for the stove.

"When Charlie starts to eat solid foods, we have to take him to the diner for waffles. He'll love that. And Em has to be there for the first time since he was the one who took me there first." I pressed my lips to Charlie's head, loving how content he was to just lay against me. "It'll be so much fun to go with Uncle Em and Auntie Rose, and Lily Bear."

"The place will never be the same again," Edward laughed.

"You want to talk about things changing, just wait until Auntie Alice has those little babies she's growing. Three babies in diapers and a toddler in potty training. Family gatherings will never be the same again."

"They're potty training Lily?"

"Yeah," I chuckled. "Rose is tired of trying to keep Lily's diaper on so she's giving it a shot. Can you believe that little girl is going to be two years old in a little over a month?"

"They grow fast."

"Oh, don't say that," I pleaded, hugging my baby. "I don't want to think about this stage with Charlie passing any faster."

"You know, you don't have to go back to work," Edward said, trying his best to sound casual. But we both knew he really wanted me to stay home with Charlie. He was worried about me missing out on experiences with our little man. It wasn't like I had to make a decision now or anything. I had until the middle of November to let the college know if I could return for the spring semester in January.

"Let's not talk about work right now. Let's just have breakfast together and then we can go up and get ready to leave. I figure I'll forgo my morning walk and save up my energy."

"Do you have any idea how much we should pack for Charlie?" Edward asked, setting our food onto the table.

"No idea at all," I chuckled. "I sure hope Rosalie is enjoying this trip with Emmett. I really hope he's being sweet and laying off the goofball routine."

"I'm sure they're having an excellent time. If not for Lily, we probably wouldn't even hear from them."

"Yeah, I wonder how many times Em has called to check on his princess."

"Do you want me to hold Charlie while you eat?" Edward asked, setting our coffee mugs onto the table top.

"I can manage a bagel and a baby at the same time," I assured him. "Besides, he's comfortable, Daddy. Don't make him move."

"Alright," he chuckled. "But let me know if you change your mind. He can be a handful when he gets excited."

"There's nothing in the kitchen to excite him that much. And with his night owl routine going, he'll probably doze off. I was thinking that while we're at Alice's, we should try to keep Charlie entertained and awake so that he's more likely to sleep tonight."

"I sure hope we can get him back on schedule quickly."

"It's your fault," I joked, smiling at Edward. "You were the one who kept saying all that stuff about him being a night owl when I was pregnant with him."

"I think he just takes after his Grandma Renee. From what Em has said, she was prone to getting excited and wanting to do things late at night."

"Yeah, she was," I agreed, smiling at the thought of my mother. "You won't get to meet her, little man. But I know she would just love you so much if she was here. When you get older and you can remember, I'm going to tell you all about her and your Grandpa Charlie. We named you for him and for Daddy—two of the most important men to ever be in my life. I thought of adding to your name to include Uncle Emmett, but then I'd have needed to include Uncle Jasper and Grandpa Carlisle, and no child should ever have to have such a long and winding name."

"What about mothers who take off on long and winding rants?" Edward teased, chuckling at me.

I just shrugged and took a big bite of my bagel, so happy to be having such a wonderful morning with my husband and my son. I knew I was far from done with dealing with everything, but it was nice to just have some quiet and normalcy amid all of the chaos of a new baby and my health.

A couple of hours later, Edward helped me up the steps of Alice and Jasper's condo while Esme carried Charlie and Carlisle took care of the two baby bags we'd ended up taking for Charlie. Between Edward and Esme, they'd practically packed everything their hands touched. Carlisle and I had enjoyed laughing together as we watched them—they hadn't been quite as amused, but then Charlie had smiled for them and all was forgotten and forgiven.

"Oh, you convinced him!" Alice shrieked as she wrapped her arms around Edward, almost knocking all three of us to the ground.

"Alice," Edward scolded. "You can't do that! Bella's not completely steady on her feet, and you're twenty-nine weeks pregnant!"

"I know how pregnant I am, little brother," she chuckled. "And I have total control of all of this baby weight," she said, already heading back into her place. "Jazzie, they're here! And they got Edward to come with Bella and the baby." She plopped herself into her recliner and put her feet up. "Bells, you take the sofa. Mom, you pass me that nephew of mine and let me cover him in kisses."

"Do not leave lipstick marks on my baby," I warned her as Edward helped me to settle onto the sofa.

"You should know I wear long lasting everything," Alice replied. Esme passed my baby to Alice and her pixie face just lit up. "How's my little nephew?" she cooed, pressing her cheek to Charlie's.

"He smiled today," I announced happily. "Four times for Edward and me, and then once for Carlisle and Esme."

"Oh, I want to see!" Alice pouted.

"Ask him where his daddy is," I chuckled.

Alice turned Charlie so that he could see everyone in the living room. "Where's your daddy, Charlie?" Alice asked him.

"Edward, wave or something," I said, tapping his arm. He was sitting behind me with a couple of pillows on his lap for me.

"Hey, little man," Edward chuckled, waving his hand as I'd asked.

Charlie's eyes landed on Edward and he immediately smiled, his little arms and legs going wild.

"Oh!" Alice cried. "That is the cutest thing ever! Jazzie, I want our babies to do that for you."

"Do what?" Jasper yawned, walking into the room with Lily perched in the crook of his arm.

"Tired?" I teased, smiling at him.

"She doesn't stop moving," he sighed, handing Lily over to Carlisle. "She didn't sleep well last night either. The traffic outside was bothering her."

"She's never heard it before at night," Esme said, kissing Lily's hand. "There's not all that noise at her house or mine."

"Regardless of the noise, we've been having fun," Jasper said, smiling at his niece. "She's been helping me to pack."

"And he had the nerve to say Lily is more useful than me," Alice announced, pouting once again.

"I was only teasing, Sweetheart," Jasper said, rubbing her arm lightly. "Besides, you're doing enough hard work caring for these two little babies inside of you," he added, lovingly rubbing her stomach.

"How's the house coming along?" Carlisle asked as he played peek-a-boo with a giggling Lily. She was standing behind Esme and would duck down every so often to hide from him before yelling "boo" out to her grandfather.

"It's nearly finished," Jasper said proudly. "Two more weeks and it'll be ready for us to move in. Emmett and Rose are going to help us unpack under Alice's supervision and we'll have the entire house ready in time for the baby shower. And once we get all of those items put away, we'll be prepared for the babies."

"Bells, do you know yet if you'll be able to be there?" Alice asked.

"No, sorry," I replied. And I really was sorry. I'd been so excited about planning out the shower with Rosalie and helping to host it. But now I wasn't sure if I would even get to attend.

"Bella is doing very well, though, Ali," Edward added quickly, not being able to stand the sight of a sad Alice or hear my sad tone. Poor guy! "If it's still scheduled for the weekend before Lily's birthday, then she may just make it."

"Still right on schedule," Alice chuckled, rubbing her hands over her wide stomach. "Just like my little babies. I told Em and Rose before they left, and now that I have all of you here with me, I can tell you guys," she chirped. "My doctor confirmed my suspicions and we are having…One little boy and one little girl," she said, touching her left side and then her right. "Unless they've moved and then it's the opposite," she chuckled.

"Are you even breathing between sentences?" Edward asked, laughing a little.

Charlie started to whimper and I gripped the back of the sofa, leaning up enough for Edward to move. "Get him for me, Edward."

"No, stay still," Jasper said, waving a hand at us. "I'll give him to you, Bells." He lifted Charlie from Alice's arms and held him close, kissing his cheek.

"I have to get up anyway," Edward said. "He probably needs a diaper change."

"I'll do it," Jasper offered.

"And I'll gladly sit back and enjoy not having diaper duty," Edward chuckled.

"I'll have him back to you as soon as he's changed," Jasper assured me as he handed me Charlie's blanket.

"The black bag has diapers and wipes," Esme told him.

Jasper chuckled as Carlisle handed him the correct bag and then he disappeared down the hallway with my baby.

"Bells, don't look so much like you're going to cry," Alice said, smiling at me.

"Not really up to me," I chuckled. "The hormones are still kind of in control of my emotions."

"I am _not_ looking forward to that," Alice sighed.

"Twice the babies, twice the crying," Edward chuckled.

"Bells, slap my annoying little brother," Alice demanded.

I tapped one finger against his arm, smiling up at him. "Honey, be nice to your sister."

"I'm always nice," he said, leaning down and kissing my forehead. "Alice just doesn't always appreciate my sense of humor."

"Ehwor," Lily said, standing next to me and tapping on his knee.

"Oh, she almost said your name," I sniffled as Edward lifted Lily onto his lap. "She left out the 'd's', but that was your name. She's getting so big!"

"Can you say Aunt Bella's name yet?" Edward asked.

Lily nodded her head, her little curls bouncing all over. Edward helped her to lean forward so she could see my face without falling on me. "Bewwa," she said happily before giving me a big kiss on my cheek.

"Aw! I love you so much, Lily Bear," I told her as she giggled in Edward's arms.

"And here is a little man who loves you," Jasper chuckled, setting Charlie on my chest. "I think he's going to conk out on you as soon as you get his blanket around him. He was yawning pretty big while I cleaned him up."

"Baby!" Lily shouted with glee. Edward caught her hand just before it reached Charlie's head.

"Sorry, Lily Bear. You can't touch the baby on his head like that. It might hurt him," Edward said softly.

"Boo-boo?" Lily asked, cocking her head to the side in an eerily exact impersonation of her father.

"Yes," Edward agreed. "It might give the baby a boo-boo."

Lily clambered off of Edward's lap and ran over to her pile of toys on the floor. She found her favorite pink blanket and brought it over to the sofa, spreading it out over the part of Charlie she could reach. "Love baby," she announced, patting the edge of her blanket.

I watched in amazement as she touched his little hand and he smiled at her, making her giggle. This was only the third time she'd gotten to see Charlie since he was born and she was already performing such sweet gestures for her little cousin. This amazing family of ours was overflowing with love and I felt so lucky to be apart of it, and to be able to share it with my son. And with any luck, I would be smart enough to remember this feeling while going through the tough times ahead of me. I was certainly going to try!

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Isn't Charlie a doll?? LOL And I love that Edward was wrong again. Gas, indeed!!


	40. Sunny Santa Cruz

SORRY!!! I made a mistake in one of my reviews from last chapter. I thought today's chapter was Alice giving birth to the twins. That's actually next Saturday's chapter. So sorry for the confusion. I've been editing that chapter, trying to get it perfect and it made me forget that Emmett wanted a say. But I remembered, and here Emmett is. Although, he's a bit different from the one we normally see...Read on and you'll see what I mean.

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**DISCLAIMER:** The characters do not belong to me…they are all the creation of the wonderful Stephenie Meyer.

**Sunny Santa Cruz**

**Emmett's POV**

White sand, blue water, and my Rosie in an itty, bitty, red bikini. Damn it was a heart-stopping sight. I'd finally given her a surprise she liked, planning and pulling off a weekend getaway to Santa Cruz, California. Rosie had loved getting to swim in warm waters and tan on a real beach during our honeymoon in Hawaii, so I'd decided to give her that experience again. Only, I couldn't afford that big of a trip, so the Pixie had helped me to plan this much closer and cheaper one.

Not that it was any less amazing to me, sitting here and taking in the view that was my wife. Every inch of her skin was glistening with her tanning oil and it was taking everything in me to keep my hands to myself.

"Casey!" some lady screamed, laughing as she ran after a little girl with pigtails.

And there went my lusty thoughts of my wife, replaced with that empty feeling I had every time my daughter left my sight.

"Stop it," Rose mumbled, not even looking up at me. "Lily is perfectly fine. She's with Jasper and Alice, and she's probably having a blast getting my brother to chase her all over that condo of theirs."

"I'm not doing anything," I lied. "I'm just working on keeping my hands to myself instead of putting them all of your body."

"Em, baby, I've been with you long enough to know when bullshit is coming out of your mouth."

"It was only one second," I defended. "That lady shouldn't have run by here with her little girl. There's all this beach and she's passing in front of me."

Rose snorted. "Right. Because she knows exactly who you are and how to press your buttons."

"Do we have any of those sandwiches left?" I asked, digging through the cooler and hoping to change the subject.

"There should be," she replied, turning her head and swinging those long strands of blonde hair of hers.

I forgot all about my sandwich and settled down on the beach blanket with her, running my fingers through her hair. She gave out a throaty moan, teasing me on purpose.

I chuckled and leaned down, nibbling at her neck. "You shouldn't do that in public if you expect me to behave."

"You're going to behave anyway. You know how much I'm enjoying my birthday gift from you and you won't do anything to wreck it."

"No, I won't," I agreed, kissing her bare shoulder. "So I finally did good, huh?"

Rose turned and wrapped her arms around me, smiling wide. "Em, you do sweet things for Lily and me all of the time. It doesn't bother me that you aren't as romantic as Edward, or as thoughtful as Jasper. If I'd wanted a guy like that, I would have married that kind of guy. What I wanted was someone who was adventurous, fun-loving, and sweet." Her fingers tangled in my hair and she roughly pulled my face to hers, kissing me with those amazing, ruby red lips of her. "I wanted _you_ and I got you."

I grinned at her, my fingers toying with the edge of her bikini top. "So you're still happy with me almost five years later?"

"There's just too much of you to not be," she teased. Her tongue slipped out of her mouth and flicked across my lips, making me forget all about behaving as I pulled her right on top of me.

"Emmett," she laughed, slapping my shoulder. "Let's go swim."

"Alright," I agreed, jumping to my feet with her planted on my shoulder.

"Em, put me down," she laughed, slapping at my abs with her soft hands.

"I will. When we get to the water," I promised her.

She growled at me and before I could get her onto the ground, she bit me just above my hip, making me yelp. We fell into the sand together and she laughed as she dug her knee into my shoulder, getting back up to her feet. "If I didn't love you so much, I'd drown you," she warned.

"Don't I know it," I chuckled, jumping up to my feet. I took her hand and held it tightly in mine, swinging it between us as we started walking toward the water again. "You look beautiful, Rosalie."

She blushed and reached her free hand up, tucking her hair behind her ear. I didn't even know if anyone else was aware she could blush. She was always so cool with everyone, but when it was just us two, and I said the right words, she would blush, letting me know I'd melted her heart a little.

"Hey, baby, do you remember our wedding?"

Rose's perfect eyebrow arched up as her blue eyes studied me. "Why? Have you forgotten it?"

I smiled and pulled her close, hugging her to my side. "It's one of a few perfect days in my life. I could never forget a second of it."

"What are your other perfect days?"

"My first date with you, the night I proposed, the day you told me you were pregnant, and the day Lily was born."

We'd waded out far enough that the water was up to Rose's neck. She held onto my forearms and arched her body back, wetting her hair in the warm water. She stood up straight, smoothing her wet hair with her hands and laughing a little. "God, this water feels great."

"I'm so glad you're enjoying this trip, Rosie. I really wanted you to have a great vacation and birthday. I wanted you to know how much I appreciate you and everything you do for Lily and me."

"I do know. You show me every day even if you forget to tell me." She wrapped her arms around my neck, smiling and drawing me closer. "So how are you planning to show me tonight?"

"Dinner and dancing, baby," I said with a grin. I lowered my head and put my lips at her ear. "And in a brand new dress Alice assures me you'll enjoy as much on as you will off."

"Promises, promises," she sighed, resting her face against my chest.

I held her close, letting us drift back toward the shore and just enjoying the silence with her. Everyone thought our relationship was just sex and Lily, but we had our quiet times, too. We could just be together and be happy with that as easily as Jasper and Alice, or Edward and Bella.

Thoughts of my little sister tried to creep in and I pushed them away, refusing to think about the last four weeks. This trip was about Rosie, and I was going to stay focused on her.

We stayed on the beach for most of the day, only leaving to head back to the little beach house I'd rented for us so we could shower and change for dinner. Alice had told me that there were certain times of day that were considered more romantic than others, so she'd helped me to make reservations at a seafood restaurant. We'd be sitting out on the deck during sunset, eating shrimp and having drinks, and apparently having a romantic time.

I draped the towel over my wet hair so I could pull out the khaki pants and white polo Alice had helped me buy for tonight's dinner. Rose was getting dressed in the bathroom, keeping me from seeing the dress Alice had picked out until it was on her body.

My cell phone decided to ring just as I started putting on my pants. I hopped over to the dresser, trying not to break my neck as I finally got my pants to cover my ass. "Yellow?" I answered.

"Are we having a wild and crazy time at the beach?" Alice asked, laughing a little.

"Who do you think you're talking to, Pixie?" I laughed.

"Well, you have to be behaving yourself at least a little since there haven't been any calls from jail yet," Alice chuckled.

"So what do you want?"

"Nothing. Lily, however, is a different story. She wants to talk to you and wouldn't take 'no' as an answer."

"Exercising her princess power," I chuckled. "Put her on the phone for me."

There was some crackling on their end and then my little girl's sweet voice. "Daddy?"

"Hey, Lily Bear. Are you having fun with Aunt Alice and Uncle Jasper?"

"Daddy, come back?"

"I'll be back in a couple of days, baby girl. Me and mommy both."

"Baby cry, Daddy."

"What baby? Is Aunt Bella there?"

"Bewwa and Ehwor."

"That's good. I bet you're having so much fun with them. Daddy loves you, but he has to go bye-bye now."

"Daddy, home?"

"No, baby girl. Can you put Aunt Alice on the phone?"

"Amice!" Lily cried out. "Amice!"

"Thank you, Sweetie," Alice said as she took the phone. "Em?"

"Yeah, I'm still here. So Edward and Bella are there with the baby?"

"Yes, they are. They came with my parents."

"How's she doing?"

"She's okay. She's a little tired now since they've been here almost the whole day, but she seems happy to be here."

"Good. That's real good. You tell her I said 'hey' then and we'll talk to you later."

"Emmett Swan, how long do you plan to keep avoiding your sister?" Alice fussed.

"I'm not avoiding her at all. I'm just trying to let her rest and heal without adding excitement."

"Sure," Alice sighed. "Men can be so stupid, but whatever. Have fun with Rose tonight. Lily is perfectly fine and not missing you nearly as much as she made it seem. See you guys tomorrow." She hung up the phone before I could say anything else.

"Emmett Swan, put that phone down," Rosalie ordered, making me jump. "I swear to God if you make our daughter start crying and miss you, I'm going to hurt you."

"Hey, she called me," I said, dropping the phone onto the bed. "And I didn't let her stay on the phone long either."

"How is our baby?"

I smiled, pleased that she was missing our daughter just as much as I was. "She's good. Carlisle and Esme are visiting there, along with Edward and Bella, and the baby."

"Oh, that's good. I'm sure Bella is enjoying being out of the house. Did you talk to her?"

"Nah, didn't have enough time. Didn't want Lily to get upset that we weren't there. Besides, we have reservations."

Rose looked at me a little weird, but then she shrugged her shoulders and seemed to let whatever thought she had go. Damn women in my life always reading into things. Bella needed quiet and relaxation and I wasn't either of those, so I was giving her some space. You better damn well believe that as soon as she was back to normal, I'd be over there, spoiling the hell out of my nephew.

Without all of those annoying thoughts in the way, I was able to take a good, long look at my wife. She was in this dress that looked like it was just floating against her body. It was a silvery kind of color and she looked amazing in it.

She saw me looking and she gave me a devilish smile, hiking up the side of her dress and showing me the very thin strap to her matching underwear.

The second I took a step forward, she dropped the material and waved her hand at me. "Oh, no, baby. That was just incentive to keep you behaving during dinner," she said.

"You're evil, woman," I told her, having to adjust these stupid pants.

"Thank you, baby," she said, blowing me a kiss. "Ready for dinner?"

"I'm ready for a lot more than that, but dinner will do for now," I chuckled, putting my arm out for her.

She wrapped her much smaller one around it and pressed her lips to my cheek softly. "You look nice, Em."

"Baby, they haven't even invented a word for how damn amazing you look," I told her, getting her to blush again.

Dinner was a fun time, filled with Rose's easy laughter as she sat with her feet propped up on my legs and her girly drink in her hands. I regaled her with all of my football practice stories that I knew she didn't really care for, and she laughed at them all just to humor me. Or maybe she was laughing at the way I kept forgetting what I wanted to say as I stared into those blue eyes of hers.

After dinner was over, we started walking toward the area with the clubs, but Rose surprised me and changed her mind. She wanted to walk on the beach in the moonlight, just the two of us. I held her hand tightly in mine, and her shoes with my other one, listening closely to whatever she was willing to share with me. Something about the way she talked had always managed to hold my attention, and it had been that way from the first time I'd seen her.

I'd met Jasper at the gym—we'd both been in the weight training program—and he'd invited me over to hang at his house one afternoon. We'd casually glossed over our family stuff, each of us saying we had a sister, but not really getting into anything too personal. We were guys and we just didn't do that crap.

So Jasper and I had gone to his house and started up his video game system, taunting the hell out of each other and trading playful jabs. Rosalie had come sauntering in there, fussing about the noise and that had been all there was to it. I was lost just from those few aggravated words and the way her hand hugged her hip. I'd never been shy around a girl, but with Rose, it had taken me forever to get up the nerve to ask her out. She'd just seemed so damn classy and I doubted she would be interested in a goof like me. But I'd finally put myself out there and she'd rewarded me in more ways than I could count.

I leaned down a little and kissed Rose's cheek, getting her to walk a little closer to me at the same time.

She smiled and wrapped both of her arms around mine. "You know, I was thinking that if Lily does well with the potty training, then we could start talking and planning for another baby. Getting to hold Charlie and smell that baby scent made me remember how much I loved that stage with Lily."

"Nah, we have time for that later," I said. I'd been dropping hints to Rosie about another baby on and off throughout Bella's pregnancy, but now…Now, I wasn't as ready for that as I'd thought I'd been. "Besides, didn't you say something about wanting to take some classes when the spring semester rolls around next January?"

"Yeah, but I could always take them later.

"No, don't put it off, Rosie. You've already put off a lot for Lily and me."

"What happened to all that 'we need to give Lily a brother' talk you were spouting not too long ago?" she asked, laughing a little. I didn't say anything back, but apparently I didn't need to. "Em, you know it won't be like that for me. It wasn't the first time and it won't be any other time we want to have a baby. There's a slight chance for miscarriage in the first trimester, but once I'm past that, it's smooth sailing."

"It's got nothing to do with the Squirt. We just have a lot going on with Bella's new baby and Alice will be popping those twins out before we know it. Lily's going to feel enough like her attention is being stolen when we're at family stuff. The last thing she needs is to feel that at home too. We'll just wait another year or so, just like we originally planned."

Rose tugged on my arm and stopped me from walking. "Baby, I know you don't like to be the emotional one, but you're entitled to your share of it, you know. Your sister nearly—"

"Don't go there, Rosalie. We're having a nice vacation and celebrating your birthday. I don't want to talk about anything other than that."

"Avoiding it isn't going to relieve that fear of yours."

"I don't fear a fuckin' thing. I'm Emmett Swan. I can kick anyone's ass that I want."

"Except for death," she said softly, rubbing her hand up and down my arm. "It's like you've forgotten that I lost my parents, too. And that I fear for Jasper's life almost every day. He goes out onto those construction sites, and he's crawling around up there in his own house."

"You're a chick. You get all bent out of shape about that stuff."

Rose's hand flew up and smacked the back of my head so fast that I didn't even have time to duck a little.

"Alright," I sighed, rubbing the back of my head. "I might have deserved that a little."

"You know the only thing about you that really, truly pisses me off is when you get that muscle-bound idiot mentality and try to act all stony with me. I know you have a heart, and it's big and beautiful, and one of my favorite things about you, Emmett."

"What do you want from me, Rosalie?" I asked, getting annoyed with her just because she was calling me on my bluff. "I bring you here, give you a great weekend away for your birthday, and you want to talk about sad crap. I'm just trying to have a good time with you."

"And you plan to accomplish that by being an ass and pretending you aren't upset and hurting over your little sister?" she asked, her hands on her hips as her blue eyes bore into me.

"Edward's doing enough for us all, believe me."

Rosalie hauled off and slapped the hell out of my face, even managing to move my head a little. That was the first and only time she'd ever done that and I just sort of stared at her, not quite believing she'd done it. "Just because he's not afraid to let people know he can hurt and bleed, doesn't make him any less of a man than you are. When you're just joking around, that's one thing. But to say in that way and make it sound like he's some sort of weaker person because he's freaking over nearly losing his wife…I thought you were better than that, Emmett."

"Rosie, I didn't mean it that way. I swear I didn't."

"Tell me what you did mean then."

"Just that, he's feeling so bad and he has a right to it, so I don't really think there's room for me to come along and whine about anything. I mean, it happened to them, Rosie. They're the ones who almost lost each other and can't have kids together anymore."

"She's your sister and you almost lost her, too."

"Yeah, well…It's not right, Rosie. I'm the one who was the screw-up growing up with Charlie and Renee. I was the one always having to get picked up from detention and grounded and stuff. Bella was the good kid, making good grades and doing what she had to be a responsible person. She's the one who was supposed to have any sort of life she wanted, including having as many babies as she wanted. She wasn't supposed to have complications and nearly die. She's too good for all of that crap."

"So you're problem is that you feel guilty you've had an easier time than she has?"

"Yeah, I guess so," I agreed, nodding my head a little. "I took Mom and Dad's deaths better. I partied my way through college, while she worked to pay her way and studied her ass off. She's just never had it easy and that's wrong."

"You're forgetting the things Bella does have."

"Like what?" I grumped, sitting down in the sand.

Rose knelt behind me and wrapped her arms around me, laying her head on my shoulder. "Like a big brother who loves her so much he feels guilty his life seems easier than hers. A husband who loves her so much he would move Heaven and Earth just to see her smile. Two sisters and a brother through marriage that think she's an amazing person and love to be around her. A niece that adores her. Two wonderful people who love her and have become a second set of parents. And now, she has a little boy who will get to know her and love her simply because she lived. It's not a perfect life, but it's still got so many wonderful pieces to it that I'm sure she'll be able to overlook the small things that are missing."

I put my hand over hers and pulled her around until she was in my lap, giving me a real hug. "I love you, Rosalie." That seemed to really be all I could say to her and I just hoped she would hear all the things I couldn't say.

"You're welcome, Em," she sighed, gripping me tighter. Yeah, she'd heard me. This amazing woman who was so damn beautiful it hurt to look at her some days, and she had just as much intelligence, knowing just what I needed to hear.

I was still pretty upset about Bella, but at least I had some idea of how to direct it. When we got home, I was going to pull Edward aside and take over dealing with the house he was having built. He needed to be home with Bella and I needed to do something useful, so it would work out for the both of us.

In the meantime, I needed to show my amazing wife how appreciative I was of her. This was our last night here and I was going to make it one for her to remember. She deserved nothing less for putting up with me and my crap. One long, long night that she could go home and brag about and maybe even blush over—and remember how much I loved her.


	41. Twin Blessings

**DISCLAIMER:** The characters do not belong to me…they are all the creation of the wonderful Stephenie Meyer.

**Twin Blessings**

**Alice's POV**

As soon as my nature alarm started to fill the bedroom with bird chirping, excitement flooded through my body. Today was my baby shower. I couldn't wait to see what Rosalie and my mother had put together for me. Very rarely did I have the opportunity to be surprised—probably my own fault since I loved to help plan and put together anything and everything—but everything about this party would be a surprise for me. I couldn't wait!

"Alice, you're vibrating," Jasper yawned, hitting the snooze button on the alarm. "Any chance at all of getting just a little more sleep?"

"Not for me, but if you get me onto my feet so I can get into the bathroom, you can sleep your cute little butt off for the next hour," I told him.

"Deal," he said quickly, jumping out of the bed and coming over to my side. "I'm sorry I'm so tired, Ali."

"It's okay, Jazzy. I know you've been working hard at the office and around here, getting the new house ready. And I just want to say again, I _love_ our house."

"Good," Jasper chuckled, pressing his lips to my temple. "Need me to help you into the bathroom?"

"Nope. I can manage. Get back into bed and rest. You'll be entertaining the guys all day while we beautiful ladies are enjoying my party."

Jasper laughed and kissed me again before walking me to the bathroom door. "Yell if you need anything and I will be out of that bed immediately," he promised.

"Thank you, Jazz," I said, giving him a quick hug.

I was in love with this house Jasper had designed for us, and our master bathroom was one of my favorite places. I stood in the middle of the room, just enjoying the beauty of it. The floor and the walls were done up in matching shades of light brown marble, the fixtures were a shiny platinum, and the entire room was open and spacious. The shower was completely see-through with two showerheads and a bench seat that went through the glass and became the edge of the large garden tub. The window allowed for a great amount of natural light, while the actual light fixtures used energy-saving, low wattage bulbs to keep the lighting soft and intimate. Jasper had taken all of my favorite things from every beautiful house and hotel I'd ever seen and put them together in one room.

I was thirty-five weeks pregnant and looking like I just might make it to full-term with these twin blessings of mine. The doctor hadn't seen any signs of labor when we'd met a few days ago. He, along with everyone else, was amazed at my ability to still move around on my own—I figured it had to do with my low center of gravity. In fact, I'd only stopped working at my job last week because of Jasper's constant begging. He was so sweet with his worry, but he was also driving me just a tiny bit insane.

After thoroughly enjoying my steamy, soapy shower, I wrapped myself up in my favorite robe and headed into my walk-in closet to get the beautifully wrapped gift box Rosalie had dropped off last night. She was so evil that she'd made me promise not to touch it until this morning. All night long, I'd dreamed of this box and what might be in it.

I sat down on the large circular ottoman Jasper had put in here for me and set my gift on my lap. I ripped through the paper and quickly removed the box top, but I took my time while peeling back the tissue paper inside. I didn't want to accidentally mess anything up in my excitement.

When I finally got to the actual gift inside of the box, I gasped and my eyes teared up a little. Rosalie knew me so well.

"Everything okay?" Jasper yawned, walking into the closet in all of his half-naked just-woken-up glory.

"It's perfect," I sniffled, lifting the dress from the box. "This is my party dress."

"It's going to look amazing on you, Ali. I can see it already."

"And the best part is that it goes great with the new ballet flats my store gave me as my goodbye gift."

"Most stylish pregnant woman for sure," he chuckled, leaning down and kissing me.

"So have you decided what adventure you'll have with the boys today?" I asked, searching for underwear to match my beautiful outfit.

"I'm going to be as sneaky as you. I'm going to offer them each a beer, chat them up a little, and then put them to work helping with the final unpacking and the finishing touches on the nursery."

"Devious, cunning, and practical. I like it, Jazzy."

"I knew you would," he chuckled, hugging me from behind and kissing my neck. "So how do you like the bathroom?"

"If I didn't enjoy wearing clothing so much, I'd live in there."

The phone started ringing and Jasper ran out of the closet to grab it. I could faintly here him talking, saying something was too bad. I made my way out of the closet, hoping nothing had happened to anyone we knew.

"Who's on the phone?" I asked, sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Oh, hey, Edward, let me just give the phone to Ali so you can tell her yourself. And give Bells a hug for me. Tell her not to take it too hard," he said. He grimaced and then handed me the phone.

"Edward, what's wrong with Bells?" I asked, trying hard to stay calm.

"Let me preface this by saying she's technically okay," my brother told me. His voice sounded strained and tired.

"What happened?"

"We spent last night on the third floor and—"

"Oh, what does Charlie think of his room?"

"Ali, he's nine weeks old. I don't think he really understands the difference yet."

"Sorry for interrupting," I sighed. "I'm just not looking forward to whatever you're going to say."

"I could just say she won't be attending the shower and leave it at that."

"Oh, God, Edward! How horrible is it? Is she back in the hospital?"

"Calm down, Ali. It's nothing that severe. She was walking from the bathroom to the bed, somehow tripped over her feet and slammed her stomach and face into the edge of the bed. She also bruised her ankle and knee. Needless to say, walking isn't really all that possible and she refuses to take her pain medication. She only has a couple more days before she can try breastfeeding the baby and she refuses to let that go."

"She didn't rip her stitches, did she?"

"No, thank God. She's resting in the bed now, but I can tell the Tylenol she took isn't doing much for her. She's so stubborn, Ali."

"Edward, you know how badly she wants to feed Charlie. Honestly, if I was her, I'd be doing the exact same thing."

"Mom said the same. I'm just…Ali, it's so hard to see her crying and hurting."

"So just do what you can to keep her mind off it. Make it a great day for her."

"She's really upset about missing your party."

"Take the phone to her," I demanded.

"Alright," Edward sighed. I could hear his footsteps and then some muffled talking.

Bella's voice sounded annoyed and tired. "Hello?"

"Hi, Sweetie," I said, hoping a cheery voice would help. "I'm so sorry you fell, but don't you worry about a thing. I'll have my mom and Rose take so many pictures that you'll feel like you were right there with us."

"I'm sorry, Alice," she sobbed, dissolving into tears.

"Oh, Bells, it's okay. I'm just glad you didn't hurt yourself worse."

"I don't even know what happened. My legs have been fine the last two weeks. We even went up to the third floor last night, but now we're back in Em and Rose's room. Edward's freaking out. He hasn't stopped running his hands through his hair and muttering under his breath since it happened."

"So let him know it's bothering you. You know it's just because of how much he loves you, Sweetie."

"I know," she sniffled, sounding a little better. "I really did want to go to your party."

"I know you did," I assured her.

"Esme's going to bring your gift for me. I really think you'll like it."

"I'm sure I'll love it, Bells. It's a gift from my best friend and my brother."

"And your nephew."

"Yes! We certainly can't forget my beautiful little nephew. I'm going to show off his picture to everyone at the party."

"Will you call me tonight and tell me all about it?"

"As if there was any question of that," I chuckled. "I love you, Bells. Stay in bed and recuperate, okay?"

"Love you, Alice."

"Talk to you tonight."

"Say 'hi' to Jasper for me."

"I will. Bye, Bells."

"Bye, Alice."

I hit the end call button and frowned, tossing the phone onto the bed. "She sounds so sad, Jasper. I'm really thinking of just calling off the party to go spend the day with her."

"Are you kidding?" Jasper asked, looking shocked. "Bella will get so upset if you do that. She'll feel like she _made_ you miss your party. The last thing she needs is more guilt."

"Edward sounds horrible, too."

"Sounds like it was a pretty brutal fall. He was sitting on the couch with the baby and he basically was forced to watch her fall. He put the baby down to get her up and then he had her crying and the baby crying and he didn't know who to comfort first. Your parents came up and your dad took a look at Bella while your Mom took the baby downstairs."

"Can they just catch a break already?" I yelled.

"Ali, calm down," Jasper said softly, sitting next to me and rubbing my back.

"It's not fair, Jazz. Bad things just keep happening to them."

"They'll make it through this, Ali. You'll see. They'll take all of this bad stuff and turn it around."

"I really hope you're right, Jasper," I sighed, leaning into him.

"We'll all help them to do it," he assured me. "Don't worry."

Men were always saying "don't worry", like just saying it will make it possible. They might be able to just push things away and pretend everything was fine, but women just weren't capable of shutting things off like that. We were all on or all off, with hardly a middle ground. It was just the way we were built. We worried for our families, dreamed for our children, loved our partners like crazy, and still managed to hold down jobs and make dinner at night.

Still, give us a big enough distraction and we could manage to quiet the worries down to a dull roar. And so it was for me as my party raged and roared. Rose had arranged for my party to be in the same room that Bella's had been in, but it looked so different with all of the fancy pink and blue decorations. My banner said "Welcome Prince & Princess Hale" and the second I saw it, I demanded Rose keep track of it so that we could hang it in the nursery later.

The food was some of my most favorite French items, filled with mini-quiches and amazing pastries. We had a bubbling apple cider for everyone to drink, and instead of having a cake, we had French Silk pies. It was exactly what I would have done if I had been in charge of my own party.

By the time we got to my presents, I was actually starting to run out of energy. My back was killing me and I felt like both babies were sitting right on top of my bladder. I really hoped that didn't mean they had an aversion to parties. These were my babies and it just wouldn't be right for them to dislike parties and gifts.

Bella and Edward's gift was certainly my favorite—a double bassinet that would convert to a play pen later on. My parents' were responsible for my second favorite gift which was matching take home outfits for the babies. Emmett had handled the gift purchase since Rose had been so busy putting my party together; and that's how I ended up with a toddler size football uniform and cheerleader outfit. Rose wasn't sure if she wanted to laugh or kill Emmett and I was just wondering how he expected little babies to actually be able to use these things.

We were in the middle of loading the gifts into the cars when an odd twinge shot through my back, nearly knocking me over.

"Alice?" Rose called, grabbing my arm. "Are you okay?"

"I'm not sure. My back's been hurting for the last hour, but that one was different. It was sharp and shooting, right at the base of my back."

Rose whipped out her phone while I held onto her arm, breathing deeply and hoping that twinge wouldn't come back again.

"Alice, what's wrong?" my mother asked, coming up and taking my other arm.

"Jasper, get your ass to the hospital pronto. I'm bringing in the Pixie and I'm pretty sure she's ready to pop," Rose yelled into her phone.

"Don't be silly," I laughed. "My water hasn't even broken—" My sentence was cut off by my scream as my back locked up again.

"Trust me, Pixie," Rose said, leading me toward her van. "I know labor when I see it."

"I agree with Rosalie, Dear," my mother added as they helped me into the back.

"_What_? I'm supposed to make it to full term! And Jasper is supposed to be with me."

"He will be, Alice. He's on his way to the hospital with your dad, Emmett, and Lily."

"Edward!" I cried. "I want Edward."

"Honey, he's home with Bella and Charlie, remember?"

"Can Em please go stay with her?" I begged. "Please, Rose? I really want Edward with me."

"I'll see what I can do about that," Rose assured me, speeding toward the hospital.

I tried to listen to her phone call, but with the way my back was hurting and with my mom talking right into my ear, I didn't hear a thing. But whatever had happened must have worked because one minute, the doctor was explaining the c-section procedures to Jasper and me, and the next, Edward was holding my other hand.

"I'm so sorry I pulled you away from Bella and Charlie," I said, squeezing his hand as hard as I could.

"She understood, Ali," Edward assured me, giving me his dimpled smile. "She's glad one of us could be with you. And she expects a full report later, including hearing that the three of you are perfectly fine."

"Alright, Alice. I need to know who's going into the delivery room with us. You can only take two," my doctor said.

"Jasper and my mom." I looked up at Edward, hoping he wouldn't hate me too much. "I know I made you come all the way down here, but I really need Mom with me in there."

"I understand," he chuckled, pressing his lips to my forehead. "I'll be in the waiting room with Dad."

"You're the best little brother, you know that right?" I asked as he walked away.

"Love you, too, Ali," he called out, disappearing through the door.

My mom came in shortly after and then I was wheeled away into one of the surgery rooms. They put up a curtain thing so I wouldn't get grossed out by seeing my stomach sliced open, but I was sure I would have been fine. I was just so excited to finally see these babies.

"What's it look like?" I asked, squeezing Jasper's hand.

"Gross," he replied, looking a little green.

"Jasper, dear, stay on your feet," my mother chuckled. "You don't want to miss seeing those babies come out."

"Can I just look away for now and you tell me when you see a hand or a foot?" he asked, pressing the back of his hand to his mouth.

"Jasper Hale, since when are you so squeamish?" I fussed.

"Since I'm watching them stick their hands in my wife's stomach," he replied.

"We have the first baby," the doctor announced. "And it's your little girl," he added excitedly.

"Yeah! She's the oldest," I chirped.

"My poor son," Jasper chuckled.

"She's going to love her brother and take great care of him," I said. "Just like I did with Edward."

"Here he comes," the doctor said. "Your little boy is up and out."

"Ali, can I go see them?" Jasper asked, shifting his weight from foot to foot.

"Go on," my mother laughed. "I'll keep an eye on _my_ baby girl."

"Mom, I'm a mom! Can you believe it?" I screeched, too excited to care about my volume.

"Are you decided on the names?" she asked, hugging me the best she could.

"Elizabeth Esme Genevieve Hale and Brandon Carlisle Thomas Hale," I told her. "Jasper and I talked for a long time about names and we decided we wanted to honor the people who taught us everything we knew about how to be good parents."

"Oh, Alice," she sniffled. "That's so sweet of you to think of your father and me that way. And I'm sure Jasper and Rosalie will enjoy having their parents remembered as well."

"Ali, I have some very important people who want to meet you," Jasper said softly. I looked up and found him holding one pink bundle and one blue one. "Alice, meet Elizabeth and Brandon. Guys, meet your amazing mother." With my mom's help, he set the babies on my chest and let me get to kiss their wrinkled little foreheads.

"Hello, Elizabeth and Brandon. I've been so very anxious to meet you both. I can't wait to get to know you and find out what kind of personalities you have. I might seem a little excitable at times, but just know that it's my attempt to live life to the fullest. And if I get too bad, your daddy will be right there to calm me down."

"Alice, we need to close you up now," the doctor said. "You'll be able to see the babies again in a few hours."

"Bye my little sweethearts," I whispered, kissing them once more.

I was a mother! Me!! Alice Cullen Hale was someone's mother!! Two someones! And not just in the way I took care of my brother and all of my loved ones. I had my own babies to raise and love, and to teach all of the wonderful lessons my parents had passed on to me. I couldn't wait to get out of here and starting spoiling my babies.

* * *

And there is our very bouncy chapter from our favorite hyper woman! Look out world! She's got twins and they might just end up being exactly like her! LOL

Pictures of Alice's dress and her favorite gifts are on my website, which you can reach from my profile page. Have a great Saturday!


	42. Bella Blows Up Part1

OMC!

I am so, so sorry you guys!!! I didn't realize until just now that Chapter 42 never posted on Sunday. Major apologies for that!! I will double, triple check next time!

* * *

**DISCLAIMER:** The characters do not belong to me…they are all the creation of the wonderful Stephenie Meyer.

**Bella Blow's Up – Part 1**

**Bella's POV**

I smiled at Edward playing with Charlie on the sofa as I finished rubbing my lotion onto my hands. I had plans to get back into bed and just relax until it was time to get dressed for Alice's party.

"You're lucky the camera isn't up here or I'd be taking a million pictures," I chuckled, moving out of the bathroom and walking toward the bed.

"Not with me looking like this," Edward yawned. His shirt had baby spit-up on one shoulder, his hair was sticking out all over, and he hadn't shaved in days. He was the epitome of a tired, new father.

I started laughing at his reaction to the idea of me taking pictures, but it quickly turned into a yelp as my feet somehow tangled themselves up and I started falling forward. It was one of those stupid slow motion falls that takes forever and ends up hurting more because of it. Poor Edward looked panicked as he sat there with Charlie on his legs—he knew just as well as I did what was coming.

I stuck my hands out to brace my fall, but the lotion made them slip and my stomach slammed into the corner of the bed, hitting my scar, of course. I screamed out in pain right up until my head slammed into the edge of the mattress and my knee struck the hard floor. By that point, I was hurting so many places that I wasn't sure what to do and I just started crying.

"Bella? Bella, answer me?" Edward was yelling, trying to be heard over the crying Charlie and I were both doing now.

Every breath was hurting, but I couldn't seem to stop crying. I also couldn't seem to get myself to unroll from the fetal position I was in, trying to hold onto my stomach. I knew it was technically making things worse, but I thought maybe if I held it in just the right way, it would stop hurting so badly.

Esme and Carlisle came into the room at some point and then she left again, taking Charlie with her. By that point, Edward and his father had gotten me up from the floor and put me onto the bed.

"Bella, I need to know where it hurts," Carlisle said.

I managed to squeak out an "everywhere" and Edward groaned next to me.

"Sweetheart, I have to lift your shirt and check your stitches," Carlisle told me.

"No, please," I begged. "It's hurts so bad right now. Please just wait."

"Bella, I have to make sure you aren't bleeding. I'll make it quick," he promised.

"Fine," I sobbed. "But I don't think I can move my arms on my own."

He and Edward each took one of my arms and gently pried them away from my tender stomach. I closed my eyes and gritted my teeth, waiting to hear that I would have to spend today in the stupid hospital. Edward brushed my hair from my sweaty forehead and held tightly to my hand, not even bothering with his usual promises that everything would be okay.

"It's spotting slightly in two spots and will definitely be bruised, but the stitches are in tact," Carlisle announced. "Where else are you hurting?"

"Forehead, left knee, and right ankle," I told him.

He spent a few minutes checking each of those spots and then left the room. Apparently, my knee and ankle would benefit from getting wrapped and he had bandages in his office.

"Bella, I realize how stupid this question is, but are you okay?"

"No, Edward," I sniffled. "I'm definitely not okay."

"Let me go get you something to drink and one of your pain pills. You still have some."

"No," I yelled, opening my eyes and looking at him. I didn't want there to be any mistake about how serious I was. "Edward, it has taken me almost nine weeks to get off those pills and I'm _not_ getting back on them. I am going to feed my son."

"You still can. It'll just be pushed back for a week or so."

"No."

"Bella."

"Edward, I said _no_."

"Let's calm down," Carlisle said as he stepped back into the room. "Edward, why don't you get Bella some Tylenol and water? It'll ease her pain some and keep her on schedule for trying to feed the baby."

As soon as Edward was out of the room, I grabbed Carlisle's hand. "Bless you for getting him out of here."

"Can you blame him for being so upset?"

"No, of course not! But that doesn't mean I know how to deal with it either."

"You are both scared and you need to calm down before you end up having a silly fight over this."

"Tell him that," I grumbled.

"I will. But for now, I'm telling _you_," he said sternly. "I understand how hard all of this is for you, Bella, but you have to remember that it's not any easier for him."

"I'm trying to keep that in mind," I said, wiping at my eyes.

When Edward came back with the Tylenol, I made sure to thank him and smile for him. He wasn't the least bit fooled, but at least I wasn't snapping at him.

"Is Charlie okay?" I asked.

"He's fine. He was just scared from all of the yelling," Edward replied. "My mom has him in her room."

"Bella, as soon as you think you can handle it, we need to get you back down to the second floor," Carlisle said.

"Why?" I asked, knowing I was going to hate his answer because I'd agree with it.

"That extra flight of stairs is going to be impossible while your stomach is this tender," he answered. "Not to mention the injuries to your ankle and knee."

I _knew_ I'd agree…

About an hour later, I was settled back into Emmett and Rosalie's old room. Charlie was asleep in the bassinet next to me and Edward was on the phone with Jasper and Alice. He was giving them the bad news that I wouldn't be able to attend the party. This was so unbelievably unfair! Why couldn't I make it from my bathroom to my bed without ruining everything?

"Bella, Alice would like to talk to you. If you aren't up to it, I can tell her you'll talk with her later," Edward said, holding the phone against his chest.

"No, I want to speak with her," I said, putting my hand out for the phone. "Hello?"

"Hi, Sweetie," Alice chirped. "I'm so sorry you fell, but don't you worry about a thing. I'll have my mom and Rose take so many pictures that you'll feel like you were right there with us."

"I'm sorry, Alice," I sobbed, starting to cry all over again.

"Oh, Bells, it's okay. I'm just glad you didn't hurt yourself worse."

"I don't even know what happened. My legs have been fine the last two weeks. We even went up to the third floor last night, but now we're back in Em and Rose's room. Edward's freaking out. He hasn't stopped running his hands through his hair and muttering under his breath since it happened."

"So let him know it's bothering you. You know it's just because of how much he loves you, Sweetie."

"I know," I sniffled, trying to calm down. "I really did want to go to your party."

"I know you did," Alice said sweetly.

"Esme's going to bring your gift for me. I really think you'll like it."

"I'm sure I'll love it, Bells. It's a gift from my best friend and my brother."

"And your nephew."

"Yes! We certainly can't forget my beautiful little nephew. I'm going to show off his picture to everyone at the party."

"Will you call me tonight and tell me all about it?"

"As if there was any question of that," Alice chuckled. "I love you, Bells. Stay in bed and recuperate, okay?"

"Love you, Alice."

"Talk to you tonight."

"Say 'hi' to Jasper for me."

"I will. Bye, Bells."

"Bye, Alice." I handed the phone back to Edward, barely stopping myself from growling at him when his hand made its way through his hair for the millionth time. "Edward, come sit down next to me, please. I want to talk to you."

He gave a sad smile and walked around the bed, gingerly sitting down.

"I'm not going to break, Edward. I know it might feel like that to you, but I swear I'm not. And I get that you're scared, but so am I, so every time you look at me with that haunted look in your eyes, I want to scream."

"I'm sorry, Bella. I'm trying."

"I know you are. I'm not fussing you, and I'm trying my best not to sound angry because I'm definitely not angry with you, but this is so…_huge_. Every emotion, every physical pain—it all feels bigger than me right now. I just…I need you to say it's all going to be okay, even if you're lying your ass off to me. I can't lie to myself when I feel this way, so I really need you to do it for me, because I know it won't always be a lie."

"What can I do?"

"Just come hold me, okay?"

He smiled for real and laid down next to me, careful of where he put his arms, and moved my head so it was resting on his arm. He kissed my cheek and then pressed his head to mine. "I love you so much."

"I love you, too. I'm so sorry I scared you today."

"I'm sorry I couldn't catch you."

"You had a baby in your arms," I reminded him, reaching up and tangling my fingers in his hair. I closed my eyes, relaxing to the sound of his even breathing against the side of my face. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

"You understand why I can't take those pain pills, right?"

"I'd be lying if I said 'yes'. But I can say that I respect your decision. You've decided this is something you need to do for yourself, and for Charlie."

"Edward, if…if there was going to be another ba—"

"Ssh," he whispered, tightening his arms around me. "I know. We don't need to say it or talk about it right now. Let's just lie here and hold each other, okay? We have plenty of time to talk about that later."

I was glad that he'd interrupted me; the last thing I needed right now was another reason to feel sad. I just wanted to lay here with Edward and Charlie and try to breath through the pain.

With the room being so quiet, it was easier than I'd expected to let go and fall asleep with Edward right next to me. It wasn't the most restful sleep since I could still feel my stomach throbbing, but it was better than being awake and thinking about the party I would be missing today.

The three of us woke up together a few hours later and Edward handled everything with Charlie while I tried my hardest not to be angry that I was once again just lying around like a useless lump.

I did have to hand it to Edward, though. He went above and beyond to try and make the day fun for me. For the rest of the day, he kept Charlie between us on the bed, getting him to play with his rattle and give out that baby chuckle he'd started doing the week before. It was impossible not to smile while listening to my little man's laughter.

Edward lifted up Charlie's little hand and pretended to bite it, getting another round of baby chuckles out of our little man. "You see that, Charlie? You made your mom smile again. I should put a dollar in your college fund every time you do that. You'll be able to afford college by the time you're six."

"That's a bit of an exaggeration, don't you think?" I asked, snorting at Edward a little.

"Possibly," he shrugged. He lifted up Charlie's shirt and pressed his lips to the baby's belly, blowing on Charlie's skin. Charlie laughed again, this time getting a fistful of Edward's coppery hair into his little hands.

"Look at you, little man," I cooed, trying to help free Edward. "You got a good hold of Daddy. Just try not to rip out any of his hair. Mommy likes his hair."

Just as Edward freed himself, his cell phone started ringing. He picked it up from the edge of the bed and answered it. "Hello? Oh, hi, Rose! How was the shower? Of course," he sighed, shaking his head.

"What's wrong?" I asked, letting Charlie grip a couple of my fingers.

"They were leaving Alice's party and realized she was in labor. They're taking her to the hospital," he explained to me. "Rose, is she okay?" he asked, turning his attention back to her. He nodded his head a couple of times and then grimaced. "I don't know, Rose."

"What's going on?" I asked him.

"Just a sec, Rose," he said before pressing the phone against his shirt. "Alice is fine so far, but she's asking for me."

"Then you have to go to her."

"Would you be okay with that? Emmett and Lily would come stay with you and the baby. And I would leave as soon as I could."

"No, don't be in a hurry. One of us should get to be there. And if she's asking for you, you have to go."

"Bella, are you sure? You know I don't mind telling her I need to stay with you."

"But you don't _need_ to, Edward. I did need you this morning, but I'm feeling a lot better now. And besides, I haven't really been able to spend anytime with Emmett lately, so this will be nice."

"Alright, Love," he said, giving me a smile. He lifted up his phone, reaching out and taking Charlie's other hand at the same time. "Rose, tell Alice I'll be there as soon as Emmett can get over here to stay with Bella. Oh. Okay, then. If he's that close, then I should be at the hospital within twenty minutes or so. Okay. Give her my love, Rose. And Bella's too. See you soon." He ended the call and dropped the phone back to the bed. "And to think I thought when I woke this morning that it would be a lazy Saturday."

"You're a Cullen. There's no such thing as lazy in our family," I chuckled. "There's always something going on."

"Think you'll be okay with Charlie if I go jump in the shower really quick?" he asked.

"Yep. My little man and I will be just fine. But if you could lay him on my chest so I don't have to twist to pick him up, that would be a huge help."

"Sure," he replied with a smile. He lifted Charlie up, kissing him loudly on his cheek and getting another laugh. "I love you, little man. Take really good care of your mommy while I'm out."

"Okay, that's just insulting," I said, laughing a little. "You just put my nine week old son in charge of me."

"He's not as clumsy as you," Edward chuckled.

I gasped and slapped Edward's leg. "He can barely hold his head up without help!"

"Yes, but he doesn't trip when we walks across a perfectly flat surface."

"He doesn't walk at all," I pointed out.

"And if he did, he'd still do it without tripping."

"What makes you so sure about that, Cullen?" I asked, slightly annoyed with him.

Charlie's hand reached out and grabbed Edward's ear. Edward laughed and took the baby's hand into his, giving it a little kiss. "Because our son has great hand-eye coordination. He reaches for a body part and grabs it."

"Whatever," I grumbled. "Just give me my son and go get in the shower."

"Don't be upset, Love," Edward murmured as he kissed my neck. "We agreed we didn't want him to have your clumsiness."

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean you should tease me about it," I said. He passed Charlie to me and I made sure Charlie was looking right at him. "Charlie, that's Tutor-boy. When you can finally speak, I want you to say Tutor-boy. You can even say it before 'mommy' and I won't mind. Just look right at him and say 'Tutor-boy'."

"Nice," Edward snorted as he left the room. "Love you both."

"Bye, Tutor-boy!" I called out. I looked down at Charlie and smiled at my son. "He still hates that nickname, so no matter how bad he teases me, I always have a way to annoy him back."

"Annoy who?" Emmett's booming voice asked, scaring me a little.

"Edward," I replied. "You look good, Em. I can't believe you actually have a little of your tan left. Your trip was a month ago!"

"You look like crap," he said, sitting on the edge of the bed with Lily in his arms.

"Thank you, brother bear. It's great to have your love and support."

"Of course you have it, Squirt."

"Really? Because in the last nine weeks, I can count with three fingers how many times I've seen you. Now Rose and Lily have been by tons of times, but not you."

"I'm working," he said gruffly.

"Whatever," I sighed. He wasn't working that much. He was avoiding me—and I had no idea why. "Would you like to hold Charlie?" I asked him.

"Sure," he said right away, his normal goofy grin finally making an appearance. "Lily Bear, sit down next to Daddy so he can hold Charlie, okay?"

"Play toys," she said, pointing toward her toy box in the corner.

"Sure, baby girl," he told her, giving her a little kiss before letting her down. He leaned over and took Charlie from me, lying down on his back and holding Charlie up in the air. "Look at you, little man!" he said, smiling up at Charlie. "Getting big already. You're going to come be a linebacker for me when you grow up, aren't you? Gonna be built like your Uncle Em and not that scrawny daddy of yours."

"Em," I warned. "Edward is not scrawny."

"Sure, Squirt," Emmett chuckled. He brought his arms down so that he touched noses with Charlie and then lifted the baby up quickly, getting Charlie to giggle.

"Not so rough," I said, not liking the speed Emmett was using.

"Relax, Squirt. I did this almost every day with Lily. The worst that ever happened was I got a face full of baby spit-up from doing it too soon after she ate." He turned his head toward me, looking a little worried. "How long ago did he eat?"

"You're safe," I chuckled. "In fact, he should be getting hungry in about another twenty minutes," I added, looking at the clock.

"I got dibs on feeding him," Emmett called out, lowering Charlie down again. "Ain't that right, buddy boy? You want your Uncle Em to give you your bottle."

"And you get diaper duty along with that," I informed him.

"Yeah, I heard about your spill," he mentioned, keeping his eyes on Charlie as he lifted him back into the air.

"Bewwa," Lily called, scrambling up onto the bed with me.

"Hey, Lily Bear," I said, pulling her close for a kiss. "Did you have fun at Uncle Jasper's today?"

She nodded her hair, tossing her curls everywhere. "Big house."

"I've heard. I was going to see it tonight, but I'll have to see it some other time. I'm glad you had fun."

"Daddy play baby," she said, pointing toward Emmett and Charlie.

"That's right. He's playing with Charlie."

"I play baby?"

"Not yet," I chuckled. "When he's older."

"Blocks?" she asked, offering me a purple one.

"Thank you, Lily Bear. Purple is one of my favorites."

"Bella, I'm going to head out now," Edward said as he came into the room. "Do you need me to get you anything or do anything for you before I go?"

"Just give me a kiss goodbye, promise to be safe, and give Alice my love," I told him.

"I can do that," he said with a smile. He leaned down and kissed my lips tenderly, and then moved them up to my forehead to plant a kiss there as well. "I promise to be safe and come home to you as soon as I can."

"Alright, you can go now," I said, pushing his arm a little. "I love you."

"I love you, too," he said, kissing me once more before turning his attention to Emmett.

Emmett sat up and held Charlie out to Edward. "I figure you want say bye to this little man, too," Emmett chuckled.

"Absolutely," Edward replied, taking Charlie into his arms and cuddling him close. "Be a good boy for your mommy. I'll be back soon." He pressed his lips to Charlie's head and smiled as he kissed his son. "Emmett, there are a couple of bottles in the fridge. If you could heat one up in about fifteen minutes, that would be a huge help."

"No problemo, Eddie. I've totally got this," Emmett said as he took Charlie back.

"Thank you. And don't call me Eddie."

"Ehwor!" Lily cried, jumping up and down in front of Edward.

He laughed and picked her up, kissing her cheek. "I'm sorry, Lily Bear, but I can't play right now. Aunt Alice is having the twins and I have to go see her."

"Amice?" Lily asked, cocking her head to the side just like her father did from time to time.

"Yep. Be good and I'll see you later, Sweetheart," he said, putting her down on the floor. He looked over at me with those emerald eyes of his, giving me a little smile. "Bye, Love."

"Bye, Honey. Give Alice a huge hug from me."

"I will." He turned and finally left the room, still looking torn between wanting to stay here and wanting to be there for Alice. I knew the minute he saw his sister, he would realize he was making the right choice. And Alice deserved to have whoever she wanted there with her while giving birth.

A couple of hours later, Edward called to tell us Alice was fine and out of surgery. The c-section had gone well and she was already resting in her room. The babies were five weeks early, but both of them were breathing on their own and seemed to be doing just fine.

"So what did she name them?" Emmett asked as I hung up the phone with Edward. We were hanging out in the kitchen since the kids were both asleep. Lily was crashed out on the sofa and Charlie was in the crib in Em and Rose's room.

"Your new little niece is Elizabeth Esme Genevieve Hale, and your nephew is Brandon Carlisle Thomas Hale."

"Four names?" Emmett cried. "She actually gave her kids four names? What is she? A celebrity?"

"She's Alice," I chuckled. "You didn't really expect her to give her children plain names, did you?"

"Man, those kids are going to have carpal tunnel by the second grade," he said, shaking his head.

"I doubt any teacher would be cruel enough to make them write their full name," I said.

"I don't know. Some of my teachers were pretty mean."

"Only because you pulled pranks and disrupted their classes," I laughed.

"I was framed," he said, smiling at me.

"Come on, innocently guilty clown. Walk with me upstairs so I can get a clean shirt from my room. The baby drooled on this one."

"Just tell me what shirt you want and I'll go grab it," he replied.

My hands went to my hips as I glared at my brother. "Emmett, I'm going up those stairs. Now, you can walk with me, or you can deal with Edward when I tell him you wouldn't come along."

"You are so damn stubborn," he grumbled, getting up from his chair.

"I'm not a baby, Emmett. I can go upstairs for one shirt."

"Just like you could go from the bathroom to the bed without nearly knocking yourself out."

I spun around on him, so full of anger that he actually took a step back from me. "Stop it," I warned him.

"Alright," he said, lifting up his hands. "No need to get huffy, Squirt. You've just been standing for the last half hour, so I'm trying to make sure you don't wear yourself out."

I ignored him, continuing up the stairs with him right behind me. I made it into my room without upsetting my stomach too much and headed into the closet, pulling the door a little behind me. I found one of Edward's t-shirts and changed into it, loving the way it smelled of him. I wanted him to be with Alice, but I was also really starting to miss him.

I came out of the closet and found Emmett sitting on the edge of the bed, kicking his foot against the footboard. "Em, why have you been avoiding me?" I asked, leaning against the doorframe for support.

He lifted his face, but his eyes didn't come all the way up. "What are you talking about, Squirt? I've just been busy."

I crossed my arms in front of me and smirked at him. "Liar. You never could lie to me worth a damn."

"Rosie neither," he grumbled, probably thinking I wouldn't hear it.

"Oh, so she noticed too, then?"

"What do you want me to say, Bells?"

"The truth, Emmett."

"Fine," he said, lifting up his head and puffing out his chest a little. "I didn't know what to say."

"Who said you had to say something? You could have just come over to spend time with me. Maybe watch a movie with me. Give me a hug and let me know you still love me."

"Don't be an idiot, Bella. Of course I still love you."

"Then why do you suddenly want nothing to do with me? Even tonight, you were all about Charlie, but you hardly spoke to me or even looked at me."

"I feel weird, okay? You almost died and it's taking a long time for you to get back to yourself and I don't know how to deal with you when you're all weak and shit."

"You don't know how to deal?" I asked, getting angry at him. "_You_ don't know how to deal? Thanks for that, Emmett. I'm so sorry I've inconvenienced you with my health issues. In fact, why don't you just go downstairs, get your daughter, and take your ass home. I would hate to ruin anymore of your fun."

He rolled his eyes at me. "Bella, don't be stupid. I'm not leaving and you aren't ruining my fun. I'm sorry I can't be as good at this as Edward and Jasper are, okay? I just…I don't know how to not think about you dying when I see you all weak like this. I don't know how to not feel guilty that you got the crappy the hand and I didn't."

"Right," I said sarcastically. "All those other times you plastered a smile on your face and pretended everything was great, and for me, you can't do that."

"That's right," he yelled, standing up and taking a step towards me. "An argument with the guys, or a spat with Rosie…that shit's nothing, Bella. _You_…you almost dying and leaving me alone…there's no pretending that doesn't rip my heart out, Isabella. I thought you would understand that."

"Maybe I would have if you'd said something sooner," I yelled back, crying now.

"Again! Tell me what the fuck I was supposed to say to you and I'll say it!"

"I didn't want you to say anything! I just wanted you around!" I screamed, grabbing something from Edward's dresser and throwing it at Emmett. "I wanted you to be my big brother and let me know you still loved me. That only part of my life ended!" I added, tossing a few more things at him.

"Quit it, Bella."

"No, _you_ quit it!" I yelled, finally hitting him with something. "I lost the ability to ever have another child growing inside of me. I can't be a real mother to my son. I scared my husband so bad that he has to be forced to leave the house without me. And every day, a new first happens that I have to miss and I will never _ever_ get back, or get to experience with another child. And on top of all of that shit, you pull away from me because _you_ can't handle it. You know what, Emmett? FUCK YOU!"

His teeth clacked together and he lumbered towards me—I flinched, thinking he might actually hit me for the first time since we were little kids. Instead, he wrapped his big arms around me and held on so tightly that it actually hurt a little. But I wasn't about to tell him to stop. He hadn't hugged me in over nine weeks and I wasn't letting him get away with some wimpy hug.

"Ssh, Squirt," he said, rocking me in his arms. "Stop crying, okay? I'm sorry and I should have listened to Rosie and Alice weeks ago. I'm sorry I'm an ass. Just stop crying, please."

I don't know how long we stood there like that, but I did know that my legs were starting to get that jelly feeling. I was so lost in the tears, and the pain, and the anger, that I didn't even realize Emmett had picked me up until he was setting me on the bed downstairs.

Emmett passed his big hand over my hair, wiping away my tears with his other hand. "Squirt, I have to get Charlie, okay? I'll come back and sit with you as soon as I clean him up and change him."

"Alright," I sniffled, using Edward's shirt to finish wiping my face.

I still wasn't sure exactly why I'd blown up at Emmett that way, but I knew I was still extremely angry. All of the things I was missing…all of the things I'd never do again that I'd taken for granted the first time…It was like they were all bags of sand, sitting on me and crushing me beneath them. If this was the anger Esme had been warning me about, I'd been right all along to be scared of this. It felt like there was no way to push it down or away, or even to calm it. It was here and it wanted to come out—and it didn't seem to care who it lashed out at.

I heard noises in the hall and could easily pick out Edward's smooth voice. I assumed Emmett was filling him on my melt-down. And he'd come in here, giving me that worried look, and I'd probably lose it on him too. This was not the way I wanted to spend my Saturday night…Maybe if I closed my eyes and stayed really still, maybe Edward would think I was sleeping. If it avoided my anger getting loose and starting a pointless fight, it would be worth it.

I pulled the blanket up, closed my eyes, and hoped to hell I could act good enough to get Edward to believe I was sleeping.

* * *

We haven't had a big brother-little sister fight in a long time and I think they were both overdue for one. We'll find out Saturday what Edward thinks of their fight and if Bella's anger goes after him, too. On the plus side, once she goes through this, things will start to get a lot better for her and for her relationship with Edward. Hope everyone has a great Sunday and a great week!


	43. Bella Blows Up Part2

**DISCLAIMER:** The characters do not belong to me…they are all the creation of the wonderful Stephenie Meyer.

**Bella Blow's Up – Part 2**

**Edward's POV**

"So then we cut into the pie and it was _so_ amazing, Edward. It was like the chocolate was wrapping itself around my tongue and just making me hungrier for more," Alice continued on, ranting about her party.

"I take it you enjoyed the pie then?" I teased, smiling at her as I held one of her hands and Jasper held her other.

"Alice, you made him come all the way down here and all you've talked about is pies and gifts. Don't you think you should take a breath and talk about something else?" Jasper asked.

"Nope," Alice chirped.

"Jasper, that's like asking Santa to not talk about elves and toys," I joked, grinning at Alice.

"Bite your tongue, Edward Anthony," Alice fussed, smiling too much to mean it. "But don't do it too hard. I don't want the doctor to be more concerned with you than me."

"Yeah, we wouldn't want anyone to ever take the attention off of our dear Alice," Jasper teased.

Alice grabbed Jasper's shirt and yanked his face closer to hers. "Remind me again why I wanted to have babies with you? Why I'm willing to go through the excruciating pain of labor while you stand here and make jokes?"

"Because I love you and treat you like the queen you are, Sweetheart?" he said, making it sound more like a question than a statement.

"Perfect," she chirped, letting go of his shirt and turning her head toward me. "I'm so sorry I pulled you away from Bella and Charlie," she said, squeezing down on my hand.

"She understood, Ali," I replied, trying to reassure her that Bella didn't mind. "She's glad one of us could be with you. And she expects a full report later, including hearing that the three of you are perfectly fine."

"Alright, Alice. I need to know who's going into the delivery room with us. You can only take two," the doctor announced.

"Jasper and my mom," she said right away. She looked up at me with a sheepish smile on her little face. "I know I made you come all the way down here, but I really need Mom with me in there."

"I understand," I said, kissing her forehead. She was about to give birth, one of the hardest jobs in the world, and she could have whoever she wanted with her. "I'll be in the waiting room with Dad."

"You're the best little brother, you know that right?" she called out, sounding a little like she might cry.

"Love you, too, Ali," I said quickly, wanting to get out before she could work herself up. She needed to be calm and relaxed. She had a chance to really enjoy this experience and I wanted that for her—and for Jasper, too.

My mother passed me in the hall, stopping to give me another hug and kiss. "Was Alice excited to see you?"

"Very," I chuckled. "She hardly paused to breathe while telling me about her party and how she didn't realize she was in labor. She's very ready to see these babies, though, so you'd better get in there."

"More grandbabies to love," she sighed, patting my cheek before heading off toward Alice's room.

I joined my dad in the waiting room and he smiled, putting his hand to my shoulder and squeezing a little. "How are you, son?" he asked.

"I honestly don't know. I'm glad I could be here for Alice. She was so happy when I walked into her hospital room, Dad. But at the same time…I don't know. I miss Bella and Charlie. I want to be home with them."

"We'll welcome your nephew and niece into the world and then I'll make sure you can slip out of here and get home to them."

"Thanks, Dad," I said, giving him a hug.

"You're welcome, Edward. And while I'm sorry for the reason that you're suddenly so affectionate with all of us, I'm glad to see it all the same."

"Think Emmett and Bella are going to talk while they're together?" I asked, looking up at him.

He shrugged and smiled. "It would be best for both of them if they did, but they may not know how to start the conversation."

"'Hi, I'm Emmett and I'm a complete ass for ignoring you'?" I offered.

"That's one option. It could also start with 'Hi, I'm Bella and I'm too proud and stubborn to call you and ask why you won't come visit me'."

"Very true," I agreed, nodding my head. "But in her defense, she's the one with so many things going on."

"And in his, he actually realizes that. He may truly believe for once that his brand of humor isn't what she needs right now."

"She needs _him_, Dad."

"Then may I suggest that if you get home and find they haven't talked, you pull Emmett aside and let him know he's inadvertently hurting Bella. And make sure you come off as just trying to help and not being mad at him for it."

"I can't be mad at him. _I_ don't even know what to say to her half the time. The only thing currently saving me is the fact that she refuses to acknowledge what happened and the consequences of it."

"Just keep in mind that the longer she puts it off, the bigger the blow up will be when she finally does deal with it."

I thought about his words while we waited for news about my sister and her babies. Within a half an hour, my mother came out to tell us that Alice had given birth to a boy and a girl. An hour after that, we were finally allowed to see my sister and to meet the babies for the first time.

"I can't believe he's got the black hair and she's got the blonde," I chuckled, holding little Brandon while Jasper held Elizabeth next to me.

"This could be temporary though. I've heard the hair color changes," Jasper said.

"I'm just miffed Bella got so lucky with Charlie having his dominate eye color right away," Alice pouted. "The twins have those baby eyes so now I have to wait a few weeks to see what eye color they'll really end up with."

"Just be glad that the three of you are perfectly healthy," I told her.

"Sorry, Edward. I didn't mean to sound bratty or anything," she said.

"I know, Ali," I said, smiling at her. "It's just in your nature to want to know colors so you can properly coordinate."

"Exactly!" she chirped. "See! Edward gets me."

"He had to learn in order to live with you and not strangle you," Rose teased as Jasper passed Elizabeth to her. "But you better believe your pixie butt that I won't let you drive my niece and nephew crazy."

"Edward, why don't you let me have a turn with this grandson and you run on home to check on my other one?" Carlisle offered, holding out his arms for Brandon.

"Thanks, Dad," I said, carefully passing the baby to him.

I made my way around the room, kissing everyone goodbye and then I left the hospital as quickly as I could. I called Bella as soon as I was in the car, letting her know what the babies looked like and what Alice had named them. I didn't tell her I was on my way home, though—I wanted to surprise her.

After picking up a couple of dessert options to cheer Bella up with, I headed out of the city and to my parents' house. While I was very thankful for all of the help my parents were giving us, I was still anxious to get Bella and Charlie into a home of our own. I'd had to completely stop everything and push it aside to care for Bella—not that I minded. At least now, Emmett was taking charge of it all and he seemed confident he would be able to handle it. He was sure he could have everything finished and the house ready for us within four months. That would be perfect timing since Bella would be healed and into her own routine with Charlie by then.

I parked the car and grabbed the bag from the bakery, resisting the urge to just take one small piece for myself. I wanted Bella to have her pick before I took anything for myself.

The house was completely quiet and there was only a small lamp on in the living room, giving off just enough light for me to see that Lily was asleep on the couch. I dropped the baked goods in the kitchen and then went upstairs to find Bella. She was probably demanding to help with Charlie's diaper or something.

"Oh, thank God!" Emmett sighed when he saw me on the stairs.

"What's wrong?" I asked, trying hard not to jump to any conclusions.

"Bella freaked the hell out on me, Edward."

"What did you do? Is she okay?"

"I didn't do anything. Well, not really. And I really don't know about her being okay or not. Edward, I've seen her mad, sad, depressed…Dude, I've never seen her like this. It was like that broken look she had right after our parents died, but this time, there's this wall of anger in front of it. I thought she might slug me at one point. She didn't hit me with her hands, but you've probably got some broken stuff upstairs. She took a bunch of stuff from the dresser and threw it all at me."

"Are either of you physically hurt?"

"Nope. I got a scratch on my chest, but that's all. She's been crying since it happened, but she might have stopped now. I left her for just a few minutes so I could get Charlie changed."

"Would you take him downstairs, Em? I'd like to talk to Bella for a minute."

"Sure, sure. I'll just be in the kitchen."

"And don't touch the bag on the counter. It's for Bella."

"Got it," he grinned, patting my shoulder on his way to the stairs.

I sighed and put my hand on the doorknob, wondering what kind of mood Bella would be in once I walked through this door. Either she'd just gotten fed up with Emmett's joking, or she'd finally stopped hiding from the truth of what had happened to her. I wasn't sure which option I should hope for.

I pushed the door open and entered the quiet room. Bella was under the covers and looked like she might have been sleeping, so I was careful to be quiet as I made my way over to her.

As soon as I was able to sit on the bed, I knew she wasn't sleeping. "Bella, you never could act," I told her. "But from the day you've had, I'll give you a few points for effort anyway."

"How did you know?" she sighed, opening her brown eyes to look at me.

"Your breathing. It was too quick and unsteady for you to be sleeping."

"Help me to sit up a little, please?"

"Sure." I stacked up a few extra pillows and got her sitting up at an angle that wouldn't put much pressure on her stomach muscles. "So, do you want to explain what happened between Emmett and you?"

"Not particularly. I'd like to apologize to you, though. I think I might have broken a few of your things. I'm not really sure."

"It's not like you to fly into a blind rage and throw things at people, Isabella. Especially not your big brother."

"Yeah, well, that's what he gets for telling me he doesn't know how to deal with my situation," she grumped, folding her arms in front of her.

"Obviously not the best word choice on his part. But you do know how much he loves you, right? That hasn't changed, Bella. Emmett's just found a new way to do something stupid, that's all."

"Don't make excuses for him, Edward."

"I'm not. I'm just trying to see this from both sides. Personally, I'd love to clip him in the jaw for being such an idiot and hurting your feelings this way."

"I don't even know that I'm actually angry at him. I mean, yeah, I'm definitely angry at him for ignoring me, but not as angry as I acted toward him."

"I think this might be your anger over what happened."

"I had a bad delivery, that's all. And it's taking me longer than I would like to heal, but I know it'll happen."

"That's not all, Bella. That's just the start. Why are you trying so hard to pretend there's nothing else going on with you?"

She turned her head away, staring off at nothing.

I gently pressed my fingers against her jaw and turned her head back to me. "Bella, please talk to me."

"Edward, I'm really not sure I can do that right now."

"Please, Bella. I need you to tell me what you're thinking and feeling."

Her lips trembled and her brown eyes grew moist as she held my gaze. "I don't think I can tell you that, Edward. I'm scared of hurting you even more. I'm so scared of not being able to stay in control of this anger and lashing out at you. I won't mean half of what I say, but I know it'll still hurt you."

"You're worrying too much about me and not enough about you. Bella, you can't keep stuffing this down inside of you. It has to come out."

"Would you _please_ stop telling me what I should and shouldn't do!" she screamed. Her hands were balled up into fists and her face and neck were bright red. "You are not my parent, Edward."

"I realize that. But I am your friend. I just want to help you."

"Help me? Edward, what could you possibly do to help me? Do you have some time machine I don't know about so we can go back and warn the doctor before it's too late for me?"

"Of course not, Bella, but I—"

"Edward, I mean this in the most loving way, but please shut up."

"Being afraid to talk about it won't help you. It won't make it any easier to face this, or to move past it. Bella, don't you want to move forward and really be happy with Charlie and me?"

"You _know_ I do," she said sternly. I could see a little of that angry fire in her eyes that Emmett had been talking about.

"Then talk to me, Bella."

"It's not like you're going to understand," she muttered, looking away from me again.

"Probably not," I agreed. "But I'd like the chance to try." I moved closer to her, wrapping my arms around her. When she didn't push me away, I continued to talk to her. "Let's try to start simply. Can you tell me what angers you the most? Or what your most outrageous fear might be?"

"I don't know," she grumbled.

"Please, Bella."

"Fine," she sighed, sounding annoyed. "Outrageous fear…that you'll decide you want more kids, divorce me, and take Charlie to live with you and your new fertile wife."

"That is pretty outrageous," I agreed. "Especially since I would never, ever leave you. You're the love of my life, Bella."

"You say that now. But what if once Charlie isn't a baby anymore, you decide you miss all that and really want to experience it again?"

"Then we'll discuss options. Just because you can't grow a baby inside of you doesn't mean we can't be parents again. There are other ways, Bella."

"Fine. Are we done?" she asked, shrugging out of my loose hold.

I wanted to say "yes" and protect her from feeling any more hurt or anger, but I would be doing her a huge disservice that way. She had to face this to truly overcome it and move forward. "Bella, are you angry at me for getting you pregnant?" I asked.

"No," she replied immediately, finally being the one to initiate physical contact between us tonight. She gripped my arm in both of hers and rested her head against my chest. "Never ever, Edward. I love Charlie so much and I'm so glad we were blessed with him. I don't blame either of you for what happened to me."

I pressed my lips to the top of her head, hugging her as tightly as I dared. "That's very good to hear, Love."

"What about you, Edward? Do you blame Charlie?" she asked. "Or me?" she added, her voice much quieter.

"No. I don't blame anyone. I'm too busy thanking everyone that you're still with me."

"It's so unfair, Edward. I mean, I know that life's not fair for anyone. I get that. But I've already had to suffer so much…losing my parents the way I did. Why did I have to lose this too? What's so wrong with me that I can't be allowed to be pregnant and give birth to another child? Am I going to be that bad of a mother that God just took it away so I wouldn't screw up any other kids?"

"If there is a God out there, I don't think he singled you out, Bella. I think this is something that happened and I don't think he can stop these sorts of things. Maybe all he can do is to try to help the person survive it. Sometimes, the person just isn't strong enough. But you, my stubborn wife, you were strong enough, and now here you are to continue being my loving wife and to be a wonderful mother to Charlie."

"Some mother I am," she growled. "I can't even walk across the room without hurting myself. What if Charlie had been in my arms this morning?"

"What if he'd been in mine the other night when I nearly fell asleep standing?" I shot back.

"Yeah, but he wasn't," she argued, looking up at me with those brown eyes of hers. She was searching for something and I just prayed I would be able to find the words she needed to hear.

"Exactly. He wasn't in yours either. Yes, we're having some bad luck, but we're also catching some breaks too."

She nodded her head a little, not really looking like she accepted that answer. "Edward, do you…do you think if I would have embraced the pregnancy more and not just assumed I'd have more babies, do you think then I would have been okay?"

"Bella, I think you need to stop looking at what happened as a punishment. You aren't being punished for anything. It could have happened to anyone."

"But it didn't happen to anyone, Edward. It happened to _me_," she yelled, her brown eyes looking a bit dangerous with that anger flashing behind them again. "_I_ lost my parents, _I_ had the rough pregnancy, and _I_ nearly died! And I'm the weak, useless, clumsy idiot that's been wasting space around here for the last nine weeks."

"You have every right to be angry, Bella."

"Stop saying that!" she creamed, trying to push me away.

I let go of her, not wanting her to hurt herself struggling against me. She managed to get herself onto her feet and she paced back and forth in front of the bed for a few minutes before speaking again.

"I don't want to be angry," she growled. "I don't want anger, or depression, or any other useless waste of time. I want to be a mother. A real mother, Edward. I want to walk the hall with Charlie in the middle of the night. I want to be at every doctor's visit. I wanted to change his first diaper, give him his first bath, and feed him the way a mother is supposed to feed her baby."

"You did give him his first bath," I argued.

She finally stopped pacing and looked at me—she looked so helpless and broken and I didn't know what I should or could do to help her.

"No," she sniffled, the tears starting to fall from her eyes. "I know you just said that not to hurt my feelings. Alice told me about you not putting the diaper on right the first day you were home with Charlie. She told me how you tried to clean it all up with baby wipes and Esme laughed at you because you were so grossed out by it. Alice said she held Charlie's head while you washed him."

I got up from the bed and slowly approached Bella, not sure if she wanted me this close or not. "I'm sorry, Bella. I wish that day with you really would have been his first time."

"So do I," she sobbed, leaning into me and burying her face in my shirt. "Edward, I don't want to be this way. I don't want to be broken and angry. I just want to be happy with you, and with Charlie. Why can't I do that?"

"Because you lost something very precious and you haven't grieved for it yet."

"I wanted to have another baby, Edward. Even as rough as the pregnancy was and with how often I was sick, I still wanted to do it again. I wanted us to have a little girl, a sister for Charlie. I wanted her to have lots of hair so I could tell you it was your turn to give her pigtails and then laugh at you when you couldn't get it exactly right. I wanted to see you get all protective when a boy came along to take her on a date."

"We can still have that, Bella. There are other ways."

"No! I don't want another way!" she screamed, slamming her fists against my shoulders. And as suddenly as she had started, she stopped and just sobbed into my shirt, holding tightly to me. "I want _my_ way, Edward."

"I wish I could fix this for you, Bella."

"Just tell me that you really, truly don't care, Edward. Promise that you still love me, even though I'm broken now."

"Of course I still love you! You're my Bella. Nothing will ever change that."

"Then I'll find a way not to care," she said, lifting her face and showing off that very well-known stubborn look of hers. "I'll find a way to just be happy with what I do have. Because I love you and Charlie more than anything, Edward. I don't mean for it to seem any other way."

"Love, we all know you're going through a difficult time. No one is holding this behavior against you."

"What about Emmett?"

"He's just confused about how to act. That's all. He still loves you like crazy."

"It just feels like so much, Edward. So much loss and anger and it's all crushing me, making it hard for me to even breathe."

"What can I do?"

"I don't know."

"Then, I'll just hold you and tell you how very much I love you until you do know," I promised, squeezing her just a little.

There was knock on the door, followed by my parents coming into the room. "Hello, dears," my mother greeted as she sat on the edge of the bed.

"Hi," Bella said, wiping quickly at her face.

"Bella, Emmett explained what happened and we just wanted to make sure you were okay," my father said.

"No, I'm not," she sniffled, smiling at them. "Esme, how could you stand feeling this way? All of this anger, always trying to get out and attack someone?"

"I had to admit to myself exactly what it was I'd lost and then I had to say to myself, 'Esme, you lost part of what it means to be a woman, but you didn't lose yourself. And you have a beautiful family who needs you, so just get off your tush and be the woman that you are without worrying about who you were'. Of course, I had to repeat that to myself quite a few times a day in the beginning, but it eventually became just another part of my life. There's only two things you can do with anger, Bella. You can either give in to it and give up everything else, or you can get through it and learn to love yourself in a new way. Giving in is definitely a lot easier, but I doubt it's nearly as rewarding as getting through."

"I don't want to interrupt or anything," Emmett said, interrupting the conversation. "I think Charlie's had enough of me. I can't get him to stop whimpering."

"Then give him to his mother, silly," Esme said, laughing a little.

Emmett lumbered over and carefully put Charlie into Bella's arms. She held him close to her chest, putting her head right next to his and covering them both up in a veil of her chocolate hair. Charlie's whimpers immediately stopped and the only sound in the room was Bella's soft humming.

"I'm going to take Lily home," Emmett whispered—well, he attempted to whisper anyway. He leaned down and kissed the top of Bella's head. "I love you, Squirt. Please call me tomorrow."

She ignored him for the moment, not moving and continuing her soft humming.

"Bella, I'll be right back," I promised. "We're just going to walk Emmett out while you calm Charlie."

She nodded the slightest bit and I waved at everyone for them to leave the room. There might be more to discuss later on, but for right now, Bella just needed to feel like a mother.

We got to the bottom of the stairs in the living room and Emmett looked back up toward the second floor. "Edward, is she okay?"

"No, Emmett," I said honestly. "And she's not going to be for awhile yet. She hasn't found a way to accept everything yet, but she will. It would be a huge help if you could stop avoiding her, though."

"Yeah, I know," he sighed. "I'm really going to work on that."

"Thank you. In the meantime, I think I'm going to go back up. She's probably done talking about this for tonight, but she seems to like it when I'm there all the same."

"That's because she loves you, Edward," my mother replied. "She's just having trouble showing it right now. But I could see that she was listening to what I said tonight. More than that, I can see she wants to move forward. Just give her space and time and things will get better."

"Alright," Emmett said, lifting Lily up into his arms. "I have to get the princess in her own bed, but I'll talk to you guys tomorrow. Night everyone."

"Night," I called out, already heading back up the stairs.

I entered the room quietly, not wanting to disturb Bella and Charlie. She was in our bed with him lying on her chest and she was holding one of his tiny hands, whispering something to him. I couldn't make out the words, but I could tell whatever she was saying was important to her by the serious expression on her face.

I waited patiently and when it seemed like she was done, I made my presence known. "Emmett said to tell you 'goodnight'."

"Can Charlie sleep with us tonight? I know we're supposed to be getting him back on his schedule, but…"

"As long as you're sure he won't roll off of you, then it's fine," I assured her.

"He can't roll and if you tuck my side of the blanket under me, I won't either."

"Then that's just what we'll do," I said, moving toward her. I made sure to tuck the blanket tight enough to keep her from rolling at all and then I got in my side, pulling it around me so that we were sandwiched in the blanket and no one could roll. "First time sleeping with Mommy and Daddy, little man," I whispered, kissing the hand Bella was still holding.

"Is he asleep?" she whispered back.

"Almost. His eyes are very droopy. Maybe you should hum to him again."

"I'd rather if you were the one to hum. You do a better job with my lullaby."

"Are you sure? You'll fall right to sleep. Are you sure there isn't anything else you want to talk about tonight?"

"I really just want to be with Charlie and you. I promise we'll talk more tomorrow."

"Alright, Love," I said, kissing her lips lightly. I pulled a few of the pillows away so she was lying down comfortably and then I hummed softly until my wife and son drifted off to sleep.

Bella had been so right earlier when she'd said this wasn't fair to her. And while I couldn't do anything to change that, maybe I could do more to make her feel accepting of what we did have. She was really excited about being able to attempt breastfeeding in a few days. Maybe if I made a big enough deal out of that for her, it could be a way to help her realize not everything had been lost. She knew there was a lot to still be thankful for, but I got the impression she didn't really know how to feel thankful right now. Maybe if I felt it enough for both of us, it would help her. And if she was feeling really good tomorrow night, maybe I could have my mother spend Monday morning out doing errands, finally letting Bella have a morning alone with the baby. Somehow, someway, I would find a way to help Bella find her happiness again.


	44. Charlie's Lullaby

Wow! That Fanfiction outage was loooooong!!!

But on the plus side, Our Little Man is up for an award over at Lion and Lamb Award http://lionandlambawards(dot)webs(dot)com. It's up for Best Alternate Universe. Voting isn't opened yet, but **thank you** to whomever nominated this story. It's great to know this story is that loved. Much appreciated!

So now that Bella has finally started to face her anger and deal with her issues, we can jump ahead a bit and see a much happier version of her - and a much sleepier version of poor Edward. LOL. Enjoy!!!!

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**DISCLAIMER:** The characters do not belong to me…they are all the creation of the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. All are human.

**Charlie's Lullaby**

**Edward's POV**

"So Alice thinks we should—" was all I heard from Bella before my eyes drifted closed without my permission. And the very next thing I heard was my name being yelled while my arm was shaken.

"Sorry," I yawned.

Charlie had not been very cooperative last night when his bedtime had come around. Because of that, I'd spent most of the day struggling to stay awake and alert. I'm sure my students thought something was wrong with me with the way I'd kept nodding off during the film I'd made them watch. I prayed for a goodnight's sleep tonight so I could be a little more coherent tomorrow.

"You should go to bed," Bella chuckled. "That's the second time tonight you've fallen asleep on me and you very nearly fell that time. It's not like I can catch you or anything."

"I'm fine," I said through another yawn.

"No, you're tired."

"I'm not going to leave you up with a fussy baby."

"Honestly, Edward, you really aren't doing me any favors. It's hard enough to calm Charlie down without having to watch for you falling asleep on your feet. Please go to bed."

"Fine," I sighed in defeat. "But know that I do this against my will."

"It's not your will that's tired," Bella chuckled as I kissed her lips. "Go get some sleep. I shouldn't be too much longer."

"Little man, I love you, but you need to sleep," I said, kissing Charlie's forehead. He started whimpering again so Bella adjusted his pacifier in his mouth and started rocking him in her old chair once more.

The two of them were staring right at each other as she softly hummed to him and I felt a little like I was intruding on a private moment. I left the room, thinking about how happy I was that Bella could finally do more with Charlie. We'd even moved back up to the third floor; although, the move may have been the cause for Charlie's sudden disinterest in sleeping for more than a few minutes at a time. But Bella had been adamant that he finally get to be in his own room and she in ours.

Still, it was really helping her to work through her anger and be happy again, so I was not about to complain. Anything that got Bella to smile and laugh was worth it in my opinion. It had been a couple of weeks since her blow up at Emmett and me, and although she was still having some blue days, they were far less than before.

I yawned once again and my jaw popped getting Bella to laugh. I turned just as she climbed in the bed and smiled at me. "Did you really get him down?"

"Are you doubting my motherly skills, Tutor-boy?" she teased, snuggling against me so closely that there were no gaps between us.

I held her tightly and pressed my lips to her hair, breathing in the smell of her strawberry shampoo. "I've never doubted you, Love. You're an amazing mother."

"I love you," Bella whispered, hugging my waist a little tighter.

"I love you, too. I'm sorry I was so out of it tonight."

Bella yawned loudly. "It's fine. You had a long night and day."

"From the sound of that, I'd say your day was just as long."

"Mmm," was her drowsy reply.

I rested my head on hers and soon drifted off, thinking of how Charlie was not exactly cooperating with our attempts to get him back on a schedule. Our son was proving to be just as stubborn as his mother, only sleeping when _he_ wanted to.

Not even an hour later, the baby monitor picked up on Charlie's soft cries. Bella grunted as she rolled away from me, and the loss of her warmth and weight caused me to sigh heavily. I loved my son, but this not sleeping at night thing was driving me crazy.

"Stay," Bella whispered in the dark. "I've got him."

"Are you sure?"

"You have class tomorrow, Edward. Get some sleep." She kissed my cheek and I felt her weight leave our bed.

She stopped by the nightstand and I opened one eye to peek at her. She was turning down the volume on the monitor. God, how I loved this woman! She was always thinking of me in everything she did. She had always been very caring and loving to me, but she'd been even more so lately. I think it was her way of reassuring both of us that she was okay.

As I tried to fall back asleep, I heard my Bella humming softly and cooing to the baby. I couldn't resist listening to her angel's voice, no matter how tired I was, so I grabbed the monitor and turned the volume back up.

"Charlie, what are we going to do you with you? You're not supposed to be a night owl. You sure don't get that from me, little man. Mommy likes her sleep. I bet Daddy would like his, too, if you let him get any. I bet I know what your problem is. You don't want to be in that big old crib all by yourself. You just want someone to snuggle with. I've got news for you, little man, you'll never get any sleep in Mommy and Daddy's room. Mommy is a talker and Daddy snores."

I chuckled and shook my head. I did not snore—she was fibbing to our baby.

"Besides, you should be in love with your room. Grammy Esme and Auntie Alice decorated it special, just for you. And your blue blankie you love so much was your daddy's long before it was yours. So would you mind explaining to me, little man, why you refuse to sleep?"

I laughed when it seemed she was actually waiting for an answer.

"That's okay, baby," she cooed. "You're going to be the strong, silent type at first, just like your Daddy. But I'll get you talking, just like I did to him."

She started humming again, and then she was singing something I'd never heard before.

_Come, my little angel._

_Close your sweet eyes._

_It's time for sweet dreams_

_And tender lullabies._

_Trust, my little angel,_

_Mommy and daddy are never far._

_And if need be, we'll all take_

_A little ride in daddy's car._

_Sleep, my little angel_

_All through the night,_

_Wrapped up in a blanket_

_Of our love, wound so tight._

_No bad dreams will find you,_

_Only ones that tickle._

_And in the morn'_

_You'll awake with a giggle._

_Sleep, my little angel;_

_Sleep deep and true._

_And know in your heart,_

_Mommy and daddy love you._

I could hear her moving around in his room as she continued to lightly hum. I hoped that meant Charlie had fallen asleep again.

She whispered very softly. "Please sleep through the night, little man."

I put the monitor back on the nightstand and waited for her to come back to our room. She seemed shocked to see me sitting up when she opened the door.

"You're supposed to be sleeping," she fussed, crawling onto the bed.

I pulled her into my arms, laying her on my chest, and wrapped our blanket around us. "You know I can't sleep without you."

"I know," she whispered, holding me tighter.

"Where did you find that lullaby you were singing to Charlie?" I asked.

"You were listening?" she cried, burying her face against my chest. I could feel her cheeks heating up from her blush.

"Yes. I especially liked the part where you lied and told our son that I snore."

"You do. But only when you're extra tired, which you've been an awful lot lately from lack of sleep."

"A hazard of being a new parent while working," I sighed. "But I wouldn't trade a minute of it."

"Me neither."

"So the lullaby?"

"Oh, that. That's nothing."

"Bella."

"Edward." She tried to sound stern, but the laughter in her voice betrayed her.

I kissed up and down her neck. "Please. Please tell me, Bella."

"No fair," she sighed. "You shouldn't be able to dazzle me still."

"I plan to dazzle you for the rest of our long lives together, Isabella. That's going to be a lot of years of dazzling, my love."

"I made it up," she sighed, relaxing completely in my arms.

"You made what up?" I whispered, kissing the hollow behind her ear, thinking she was stalling.

"The lullaby, Honey."

"Really?"

"I know it's corny and all, but he seems to like it."

"It's not corny, Bella. It's beautiful."

"You're only saying that because you're sleep deprived." She yawned loudly as she snuggled further against my chest. "Let's take advantage of the quiet and get some more sleep."

"I love you," I whispered, placing a kiss on top of her head.

"I love you, too," she mumbled, already half asleep.

I smiled and closed my eyes, hoping I wouldn't wake up again until my alarm was going off. Sometime later, I felt Bella move and knew she was getting up again with the baby. The gentleman part of me wanted to get up with her, but the sleep deprived part won out. I would make it up to her later, I promised myself. But I wasn't able to contemplate that too much, since I was already falling back into a deep sleep.

Bella woke me the next morning, having handled all of Charlie's morning routine by herself so that I could sleep in a little later. I was going to have to do something special for her soon.

I jumped into the shower, wracking my brain for ideas. I finally decided I would need to call Alice for help. I chuckled to myself, knowing my sister had to be more sleep deprived than me. She had two-week-old twins to contend with after all.

By the time I was showered and ready for work, Bella had left the room. I checked Charlie's room first, but it was empty. I picked up on the aroma of coffee in the house and knew she was downstairs filling up my thermos. I smiled, wondering once again how I'd ended up so lucky.

I snuck into the kitchen, hoping to surprise her. Charlie was sitting in his bouncy chair, staring at the lion and lamb that hung down over him. Bella was singing to herself as she poured the coffee, so I waited until she was done, and then wrapped my arms around her.

She squealed and I laughed. "Edward!" she fussed, slapping at my arms.

"I love you," I whispered into her ear.

She melted against me and I knew I was already forgiven. "I love you, too," she said.

"Will you miss me today?"

"I miss you everyday," she sighed.

"I wish I could have taken time off to be with you and Charlie."

"It's okay. Esme's been a huge help and I really am feeling much better now."

"Once we get Charlie to sleep through the night, you and I are going to go out on a real date."

"Promise?"

"I promise, my love. A real date where we dress up, I bring you flowers, and we dine at a nice adult restaurant. How's that sound?"

"Wonderful. I won't even complain about the flowers."

"I'll hold you to that," I laughed, turning her around. I gave her a goodbye kiss to tide us both over until the afternoon. "I love you, Bella."

"I love you, Edward." She gave me a brief hug, then handed me my thermos. "You better get going. It would look pretty bad for the teacher to be late."

"I'll be home by four."

"We'll be here."

I gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and then gave one to Charlie. I left quickly before I decided to stay. It had always been hard to leave Bella for any reason, but after almost losing her…It took everything in me everyday to walk out of that house and go to my job. If I thought for a second she would actually allow me to stay home with her, I would do it in a heartbeat. But I knew it wasn't practical or responsible, especially since I was trying to surprise her with our very own home.

I climbed into the Volvo and headed down the driveway. I started thinking about the song Bella had sung to Charlie in the night. I decided I would try to write some music to go with the words to give to Bella as a surprise gift. The thought of it making her happy filled me with excitement. I couldn't wait to get to the college so I could hurry through the day and get back to my angel and my son.

**Bella's POV**

"I'll be home by four," Edward promised, holding tightly to me.

"We'll be here," I replied, smiling up at him.

He pressed his lips to my cheek, gave me his dimpled smile, and then kissed Charlie goodbye. And then he practically ran from the house, just as he did every morning. It was still hard for him to get himself in the mood to leave me; and where that would have annoyed me once, it just left me feeling very loved now.

I took Charlie's hands into mine and smiled at him. "That daddy of yours is one amazing man. I sure hope you're just like him when you grow up. Maybe not quite as much of a worrier, but definitely sweet and caring like that."

I glanced over at the calendar, shocked to see that it was getting close to the end of October. I should have realized that since we'd had a small birthday party for Lily on the eighteenth, but it somehow hadn't really clicked for me. Then again, it was easy to lose track of the days when they all seemed the same.

But they weren't exactly the same, I remembered, lifting a whimpering Charlie from his bouncy seat. I could carry my son on my own now, I could spend as much time alone with him as I wanted, and I could feed him myself while letting Edward use a bottle if he wanted a turn. Although, Charlie did honestly prefer me, which was a huge ego boost. And it definitely helped to have Edward being so supportive and not minding that he wasn't getting to share Charlie's feeding times as much anymore. He really was being so great—first, he'd had work cut out a chunk of his time, and now I was breastfeeding. He never let it seem like it bothered him and I trusted that he wouldn't lie just to make me happy.

"You know what, Charlie? We need to do something special for Daddy. I'm going to take a couple of more weeks to make sure I'm completely okay to spend the afternoon outside and driving around, and then I'm going to take you to see your daddy at work. We'll go to the college and surprise him in class, and take him to lunch. How's that sound, little man? Want to treat Daddy to lunch?"

Charlie smiled and gave out his baby chuckle, which just made me smile and giggle in return.

"I knew you'd like that idea, little man. So what shall we do today? Oh, I know! We're going to work on getting you to roll over. First, we'll put you on your tummy and let you do your baby push-ups. And then when you're all excited and making all of those cute baby noises, we'll try to get you to roll onto your back."

I lifted him up, kissing his cheek and making noises at him as I carried him into the living room. We had a blanket and his baby mat set up on the floor so that I could lie next to him while he played. It was a special tummy mat with a prop to help him learn to hold up his upper body, and had a baby lion and a baby giraffe printed on it. Jasper had found it and he'd bought one for Charlie, and one for each of the twins.

"Hello?" Rose called out as she came into the house with Lily. "Oh, look, they're right here to greet us," she added, smiling at me.

"How are my favorite flowers?" I asked.

"Tired," Rose chuckled. "Lily's been up since six this morning. I think Emmett was being too loud and it woke her. Needless to say, I'm ready for nap time."

"Charwee," Lily sang as she knelt down and kissed his cheek. "I play too."

"You can hold his rattle and shake it for him," I said, passing it to her. "Just don't do it in front of his face. Come sit right here next to me."

Lily immediately obeyed without a fuss, sitting right beside me and lightly shaking the rattle. Charlie smiled at her and she giggled back, shaking the rattle again.

"They are so cute together," Rose chuckled. "So how are you doing, Momma Bella?"

"I'm doing really good today. Charlie and I had a great morning, and I was able to let Edward sleep in a little. Oh, hey!" I said, suddenly remembering about the calendar again. "I know you probably realized, but I just figured out today that November is almost here."

"And?" she asked, seeming confused.

"The pixie starts planning for Christmas on November first and doesn't let up until Christmas actually arrives. And I doubt she'll be able to handle the ornaments this year, which means one of us will be put in charge of getting the three new ones for the tree."

"Charlie, Elizabeth, and Brandon," Rose mused. "Any ideas?"

"I was thinking a bear for Charlie, like the one Edward has for his first Christmas. For Elizabeth and Brandon, maybe we can do something matching. They came in October, so maybe we could find a pretty golden leaf for Elizabeth and a red one for Brandon."

"That's an idea. Although, that doesn't really scream Alice's children."

"Maybe we can look online for some ideas. Oh, I know!" I said excitedly as an idea popped into my head. "Alice loves that _Polar Express_ movie, so what if we got each of the kids a silver sleigh bell with their full names engraved on them with the 'Baby's First Christmas' thing beneath?"

"Now you're thinking, Bells," Rose said, smiling wide. "Is your laptop up in your room?"

"Yep. It's on the desk."

"I'll be right back with it," she called out, already running up the stairs.

"Charwee, look," Lily said, shaking the rattle a little closer to him.

"Not so close, Sweetie. You want him to be able to see it clearly."

She handed me the rattle back and shrugged. "Blocks."

"Sure, Lily Bear," I chuckled. "Go play with your blocks. Build a big castle and then we'll show it to Charlie."

"Okay, so I've already found this website that makes baby clothes and they have the cutest snowman outfits. The boy's is blue and the snowman has a dark blue hat, while the girl's is pink with a dark pink hat."

"What if Alice still wants to handle Christmas? We probably shouldn't get too excited."

"We're stealing it this year, Bells. Alice will have to bow to both of us begging to do it. And then we'll get these outfits for the twins. And for Charlie, there's a cute red outfit that says 'Baby's First Christmas' in white with little mistletoe."

"You're starting to scare me, Rose," I chuckled. "You just gave an Alice-worthy rant about gifts."

"We've been friends for almost six years now. It's about time I learn a few things from her."

"Edward said that if Alice felt up to it, he would take me over there this weekend so I can finally see the twins in person and not just in emailed pictures."

"Yeah, the four of them were definitely missed at Lily's birthday party. But on the plus side, I've never seen my brother happier."

"Rose, did you ever think we'd all end up married with kids this way?"

"Yeah, I did actually. But I thought it would be a lot easier than it's been," she chuckled. And then her face got serious. "Bella, are you having your nightmares again?"

"No," I said honestly. "The last one was during my pregnancy. I guess I've been having enough real-life nightmares that I don't need to worry about dreaming any up."

"I'm sorry Emmett was adding to that."

"Yeah, me too. Thanks for trying to talk to him, though."

Charlie started to whimper, so I picked him up and cuddled him. "What's wrong, little man? Were we not paying enough attention to you?"

"I think he just likes getting his mommy to hold him."

"Do you think I'm spoiling him?"

"I think at this age, there's no such thing. Besides, you deserve to get to spoil him just a little."

"Yeah, but I wouldn't want to accidentally spoil him in a bad way just because I love holding him."

"You'll both be fine. You're just giving him a little extra attention, that's all. Besides, with as cute as he is, how could you not want to just kiss him all over?"

"Kiss, Momma?" Lily asked, running over to her. She leaned up on her tiptoes and puckered her lips out.

"Sure, baby girl," Rose chuckled, leaning down and kissing Lily. "What are you building over there?"

"Doggie house. Woof woof, Momma."

Rose and I chuckled as we watched Lily dance around the sofa, singing out "woof, woof" as she went along.

"Who can we blame for that?" I asked.

"On one of her kiddie shows, the little boy got a dog for his birthday, so Lily thinks she should have one, too. Maybe when she's older, I'll consider it. For now, her father is all the animal I can handle."

"Ooh, la la," I laughed. "More than I need to know, but I'm glad to hear you guys are still so in love with each other."

"You say that like you aren't that way with Edward."

"No!" I cried. "No, I definitely didn't mean it that way. I mean, at least not for me. I still love him like crazy. He can still just look at me a particular way and my legs get all jelly-like."

"What do you mean at least not for you? Have you hit your head recently? That man still looks at you like you're the air he needs to be able to breathe. You just wait, Bells. When your doctor clears you for some lovin', that man is totally going to rock your world."

"No way. Not Edward," I laughed.

"Bella, any man going this long without sex is going to be a monster when he can finally have it again. I'm sure he'll be sweet enough to ask if he's being too rough, but besides that…" Rose just stopped talking and smirked.

"Rosalie, if it turns out that you're just messing with me, I'm totally going to give you crap gifts for Christmas."

"And when I'm right, I want a day with just us girls, no kids, spending the whole day at the mall and trying on beautiful things that we can't possibly take home because our children are so young and will spit up all over them. Well, except for the new outfit that will be for Daddy's eyes only."

"Nice," I chuckled.

"I hungey!" Lily announced, jumping up and down next to Rosalie.

"Well no wonder with all this jumping up and down," Rose said, lifting Lily up and growling playfully against her neck. "My little kangaroo baby."

"Chippies, Momma," Lily squealed.

"No way, baby girl," Rose said, sitting Lily up on her lap. "We do not have chippies this early in the morning."

"But we do have bananas," I said as Rose helped me and Charlie up from the floor.

The four of us headed into the kitchen, enjoying a lazy morning together. I was so glad to get to spend a quiet morning with just Rose and the kids—no one hovering around me. Not that I didn't appreciate every single thing Carlisle and Esme did for me, because I did. Heck, I was still thanking them twice a day for all of it! And honestly, it was much easier to feel thankful when I wasn't so angry all of the time. It was nice to finally start feeling more like myself. I couldn't wait to get to a point when I felt like I was completely healed. And if I really had a horny Edward to look forward to, well then my future was definitely looking bright and beautiful!

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If any of you are looking for other great reads, check out our Cookie League C2 community where we've marked our favorites from Fanfiction. There's a link on my profile page. The wonderful HP keeps it updated for us!


	45. Visiting Daddy

First of all, I want to apologize for there only being one chapter last weekend. A very nasty head cold decided to come and visit and ruin all my plans for the weekend and the week. I'm just now getting over it. But I will absolutely have two chapters for all of you lovely readers next weekend.

Secondly, Charlie's Lullaby isn't a song you can find. I wrote it for the little man. And oddly enough, writing that was the easiest part of the chapter. LOL Guess I'm still just a poet at heart.

Third! I'm so excited about this chapter because it moves us a little forward in time. It's now November, Charlie's about four months old, the holidays are right around the corner (and we know how the Cullens like to do the holidays up right), and Bella is finally starting to come back to the LLC Bella that we all love and have missed. And that Edward has missed most of all. So I really hope you all enjoy this chapter!

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**DISCLAIMER:** The characters do not belong to me…they are all the creation of the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. All are human.

**Visiting Daddy**

**Bella's POV**

It was a perfect Friday. The sun was shining, and the temperature was fairly warm for a November day. And Charlie was in a great mood after having a good, long nap.

I'd decided it was time for me to finally venture outside of the house on my own and to show Charlie what his daddy did all day. And I knew it would be an easy day of teaching for Edward with Thanksgiving break so close.

I packed a bag for Charlie, making sure I had all of his essentials. I had probably over-packed it, but I doubted you could every really be over-prepared for a baby. I set the bag on my shoulder and then lifted Charlie out of his playpen. He was dressed and ready to go in his little overalls and jacket, with the baby baseball cap Emmett had gotten him. It was dark blue with a big gold "C" on the front of it. I only put it on him because of the chilly wind. Otherwise, I never would have covered up his bronze hair. It was really starting to come in now and it was going to be exactly like Edward's.

I locked up the house and made my way over to my own Volvo; mine was a sleek black. Edward had bought it for me a few days after we found out I was pregnant. I got the backdoor open, smiling happily when I saw Edward had already setup Charlie's car-seat for me. Edward had insisted on buying one for each car so we would never have to worry about forgetting the seat in the other car. This was one time I was glad I had given into his dazzling powers.

I carefully set Charlie in his seat, being careful of his head and neck. Once I was sure he was comfortable, I strapped him in. I tested the entire seat and then all of the straps, making sure he was perfectly safe and secure. I tucked his blue blanket around his little legs to make sure he wouldn't get cold while the car warmed up, gave a quick kiss to his little forehead, and then got my own self settled behind the wheel.

I made it to the college in thirty minutes, having timed my arrival to be near the end of Edward's last class before his lunch break. It normally would have taken me less time to get here, but I drove just under the speed limit since I couldn't keep from glancing into the rearview mirror to check on Charlie every two seconds. I chuckled at myself, knowing Edward would be laughing his head off if he saw me right now.

Charlie was awake, alert, and making small noises when I opened the back door. I was happy he was in such a good mood, knowing it was going to make Edward's surprise all the better. My little man was normally a very happy baby, but if he was hungry or hadn't got enough sleep during his nap, he was a total bear, reminding me so much of his uncle at those times.

I started unhooking the many safety straps as I talked to Charlie. "Ready to go see Daddy? Look at that smile! Of course you are," I laughed. "You love your daddy."

I lifted Charlie out of his seat and cradled him against my shoulder. Carefully, I slid out of the backseat with him and his diaper bag, pushing the door closed with my shoulder. I managed to settle the bag on my opposite shoulder without jostling Charlie too much—being a mother seemed to mean being a part-time juggler as well. I was just glad I could do it without being clumsy about it. Now that I had my balance back, I hardly ever stumbled around any more.

I walked across the campus, heading for the music building where Edward's classroom was located. I'd been there enough times, I could probably make it there blindfolded if I needed to. I was so excited to actually be doing this, to be well enough to do this.

As I approached the building, I got lucky with the big, heavy doors. A group of students was coming out and held them open for me, all the while telling me how cute my baby was. I smiled, knowing they were right. Charlie was a beautiful baby; not surprising since he looked so much like his father.

Edward's classroom was really more like an auditorium. There was this door at the bottom front of the room and one at the top of the rows of seating. I peeped through the little window on the door and found Edward looking up, speaking to his students with his back to the door. I opened it quietly and stepped in. A few of the girls started smiling and I lifted a finger to my lips, not wanting Edward to know we were here yet. I stood in the corner, watching my husband share his passion for classical music with these young minds.

"Earlier composers wrote because of their love for music, not fame or glory. It is one of the many reasons why their music has populated over the ages; the passion dictated throughout the composition is rarely found in today's society. They weren't searching for record contracts and big money like many of today's artists. Although, a few in that time _were_ hoping to win the favor of the English royalty. These men still needed to eat and—"

Charlie cooed loudly, stopping Edward mid-sentence. All of the girls awed at the sounds our son was making.

Edward turned, showing off a big goofy smile. "It's my lucky Friday. I have two very special visitors today," he announced, as he quickly walked over to me.

I passed Charlie to him, thrilled he was happy to see us. Edward kissed my cheek, and turned back toward his students with Charlie nestled in the crook of his arm. I moved up beside them and took Charlie's hat off so he would be able to see around the room better.

"This very special little man is Charlie." Edward wrapped his free arm around my waist. "And this is my beautiful wife, Bella."

"He's so cute!" a blonde girl squealed. "How old is he?" I noticed how her eyes were only trained on Edward and our baby.

"He's three months old," I replied, looking around to see how many other students might be entranced with my husband.

"He looks just like you, Professor Cullen," a brown-haired boy commented.

"It's just the hair," Edward said, smoothing down Charlie's hair. "Other than that, he looks like my wife."

I chuckled, leaning my head against Edward's shoulder. He was so blind sometimes.

I was shaking my head slightly at Edward's comment when I noticed a few of the female students glaring at me. They were probably very unhappy to learn Edward was married with a baby. I'm sure they had only taken this class in hopes of finding out more about the handsome Professor Cullen.

"You look too young and too hot to be somebody's mother," a blonde haired boy told me.

I looked up at Edward, smiling at the way he was glaring at his student, and put my hand over his arm to calm him down. It seemed I wasn't the only one getting a little jealous around his students.

"Well, that may be, but I assure you, I am this little man's mommy," I said, taking Charlie's hand into mine.

Edward turned, passing Charlie to me, and whispered in my ear. "Go sit in my chair for a minute. I'll end the class and then we can get some lunch."

I smiled at him and did as he said. I settled Charlie into my lap and we watched as Edward talked to his students.

"It's Friday and I'm feeling rather generous, so class is dismissed. Go ahead and start your weekend early or head off to your next class. I'll see you all again on Monday. Remember that it will be our final class before the break, and your last chance to turn in your term paper. Finals are not too far off and some of you need this extra grade."

Edward walked over to us, smiling goofily once again.

"Professor Cullen," the blonde girl from earlier called out.

Edward's face fell slightly, but he quickly recovered. He turned and addressed his student. "Yes, Jennifer?"

"I was wondering if you could explain exactly what the paper should be about," she said, batting her lashes.

I chuckled softly and shook my head. Edward would never fall for that. I knew for a fact that he hated when a girl batted her lashes at him.

Edward looked like he wanted to scream at the girl, but he kept his voice fairly even as he spoke to her. "It's a twelve page paper and you haven't started it yet. How exactly do you plan to pass this class?"

I whispered into Charlie's ear. "Look at your daddy swat away that fly. And he does it so nicely, too. Mommy probably would have said some naughty words. That's what makes your daddy a gentleman." I looked up to see Edward smiling down at me.

"What were you telling him?" he asked, kneeling in front of Charlie and me.

"Nothing much."

"I assume you were telling him something about me with the way his little arms and legs are pumping. And that smile on his face is a dead giveaway that you said the word 'daddy' at some point," Edward said, with an amused look on his face.

"It was a private conversation between a mother and her son," I teased. "Nothing to worry your pretty little head over."

"I doubt that's true," he laughed. He stood up and held his hand out to me. "But I'm starving so I'll let it go for now. Do you have a preference for where we eat?"

"Nope," I said, letting him help me up. "I just wanted us to have lunch together."

"Thank for you coming to see me, Bella. You've really made my day."

"It was all Charlie's idea," I said, handing Edward our son. I loved the way Edward and Charlie's faces both lit up every time Edward held him.

"Well, then …" Edward said, kissing Charlie's forehead "… thank you for wanting to come see your old man, Charlie. Daddy appreciates it."

"As if!" I laughed, as I put Charlie's hat back on him. "You're twenty-four years old, Edward. That's not old at all."

Edward laughed, settling Charlie on his left side, and pulling me against his right as we left the classroom and headed down the hall. "I haven't caught up on all that lost sleep yet," he joked. "Charlie's only been sleeping through the night for a week and a half."

"And you were worried our little man would be nocturnal," I said, leaning a little further into Edward's side.

"He did have me worried there for a bit," Edward chuckled.

We headed out into the teacher parking lot and Edward led me over to his car. He opened my door for me and I smiled happily. This was something I'd missed lately…Getting to enjoy the simple things Edward did for me, like opening doors.

I turned and knelt in my seat, watching Edward as he settled Charlie into the car-seat. I wanted to tell him to watch Charlie's head, but I bit my lip; Edward already knew. He'd had to take Charlie for his check-ups without me because of my stomach. It had pained me to sit up for long periods of time, so riding in a car and then waiting in a doctor's office had not been possible. But now, I hardly ever felt the pain and was feeling more like myself everyday.

Edward checked the straps, just like I had done, and gave Charlie a little kiss on the forehead. Charlie smiled and cooed some more, making me laugh.

By the time I was sitting correctly and buckling my seatbelt, Edward was already pulling out of his parking spot. "How does Panera sound?" he asked, as he turned onto the main road. He knew that an expensive restaurant was no place for Charlie, but I knew if it had been just the two of us, we would have ended up somewhere with valet parking and a three course meal.

"Excellent! I can get some of their broccoli cheddar soup," I replied, smiling at him.

"Panera it is then." Edward glanced at me quickly then looked at the road again. "What made you decide to venture out today?"

I shrugged. "It's a gorgeous day and I felt like enjoying it. And I missed you."

"Are you feeling up to it, though?"

"Yes. As long as I don't bend over too far I don't feel any pain, and even then, it's very light. Besides, with Charlie sleeping through the night now, I'm much more rested."

"Just don't rush it. His idea of sleeping through the night is only about six hours and that's not rested enough for you."

"Edward, you know I'm being very careful. I've listened to everything the doctor and _you_ have told me to do."

He took my hand into his and kissed the back of it. "I just want to make sure you're taking care of yourself, Love."

"After what happened, I wouldn't dream of doing anything less. I'm being very careful, Edward. I plan to be with you and our son for a long time."

Edward glanced over at me and smiled, nodding his head. "I love you, Bella."

"I love you, too, Honey."

We spent the rest of the short drive enjoying the silence and the occasional noises Charlie would make. The café was busy today so Edward had me take Charlie and go find a booth. I found one with a long table top and carefully set the carseat on the table. I slid into the booth and moved Charlie so that he was against the wall of the booth and he would be able to see Edward and me easily. I took Charlie's hat off again and brushed his hair with my fingers.

I sat down and watched my little man as his eyes darted all around the area. I loved to watch him check out his surroundings—he seemed to be analyzing everything. I wondered if babies had thoughts a mind reader could pick up. I'd be interested to know what Charlie thought of Edward and me as parents. It was clear he loved Edward by the way he got all excited at the word "daddy", but so far, Charlie didn't react to "mommy". It made me a little sad, especially since I was the one he spent the majority of his time with.

"What are you thinking about, Love?" Edward asked, as he put down the tray and slid into his side of the booth.

"Nothing."

"Bella, you look ready to cry. What's wrong?"

"I don't think Charlie likes me very much," I whispered, looking down at the table.

Edward was suddenly next to me, holding me. "You're being silly, you know. Charlie not only likes you, he loves you."

"But he never smiles or gets excited for me like he does for you."

"Bella, he only does that because I'm at work five days a week. If things were reversed, you'd be the one he would get all excited for."

"Maybe."

"Are you jealous?" he asked, his voice incredulous.

"So what if I am?" I snapped.

"You want to talk reasons to be jealous? Try knowing that no matter how much I rock him, or sing to him, you are the only one who can get him to go down for the night. Or the fact that you are the only one he doesn't try to soak. Or the way he very rarely ever spits up all over you after you burp him but gets me nearly every time."

I chuckled as I hugged Edward. "Okay, so maybe he likes us both, but in different ways."

"That sounds much more plausible," Edward laughed. He gave me a quick kiss then returned to his side of the booth.

We let that topic go and talked about plans for the weekend instead while Charlie watched us, kicking his little legs every so often. We decided it was time for a family outing and Edward was going to call Emmett later and make plans to go to Emmett and Rose's house for a barbecue tomorrow. I was excited about it—Edward would have the chance to hang out with Emmett and spend the day carefree while Rose and I hung out and took care of Charlie and Lily. We could even take the kids and go walk around the mall a little. I needed to get a few items for Charlie anyway. Or maybe Alice and Jasper would come with the twins, along with Carlisle and Esme and have the whole family together for the day!

We finished our lunch and I dumped the trays while Edward got Charlie buckled into the Volvo. By the time Edward pulled up to my car, Charlie was fast asleep, and I found another great reason for two car-seats. The kind Edward had purchased had a base that stayed in the car and since the seats were the same, they were interchangeable. I took out the empty car-seat and brought it over to Edward's car while he put Charlie into mine. I locked the seat into the base and closed the door, turning to see Edward softly closing the door on my car.

He walked over to me and pressed me up against his car, kissing me passionately. When he let me up for air I saw him smiling goofily once again. "Thank you for coming to see me and bringing Charlie," he whispered, pressing his forehead against mine. "It was without a doubt the best part of my day."

"You're welcome."

"Feel free to do it again anytime you want. I rather enjoyed showing you both off to my students."

"Really? I thought I detected a little hint of jealousy earlier," I teased, pulling at the collar of his shirt.

"Maybe a little," he chuckled, kissing my cheek. "But I know I'm the only one you've got a crush on, so I'm not too concerned."

"I wonder if _I_ should be concerned. That Jennifer girl seemed awfully interested in you. I bet she would just love it if you gave her some private tutoring lessons."

"Too bad for her," he chuckled. "There's only one woman I'll ever tutor."

"And whom might she be?"

"The beautiful goddess standing right in front of me."

"I really wish you wouldn't say things like that right now," I groaned, resting my forehead against his chest.

"Sorry," he chuckled—but we both knew he wasn't the least bit sorry for his comment.

"How many more weeks?" I mumbled, picking at a loose string on his shirt.

"One."

"Really?" I asked, jerking my head up to see his face.

"Really," he laughed, kissing my forehead. "Next Saturday."

"You have to do two things for me, then."

"Name them."

"Convince Emmett and Rosalie, or Carlisle and Esme, to baby-sit Charlie for the night and rent us a hotel room. Alice and Jasper are busy with their newborn twins, so I don't want you asking them."

"Done. But can I ask why you want me to rent a room somewhere?"

"Edward, I haven't had sex with you in almost six months. We have a lot of lost time to make up for and I seriously doubt either one of us will be quiet about it, and I wouldn't want to scare our little man…Or your parents."

Edward threw his head back and laughed, his entire body shaking from the force of it. I smiled, watching him enjoy the moment. He'd had too few days where he could be relaxed like this and just enjoy being with me.

Once he stopped laughing, he kissed me softly. "As pleasurable as this has been, my love, I have another class to teach."

"I know. I have to get Charlie home anyway. What time do you think you'll be home?"

"I shouldn't be any later than five-thirty."

"Okay. We'll see you then."

I started walking toward my car, but Edward grabbed my arm and pulled me back to him. He kissed me hard, pushing his tongue into my mouth. I swooned from the desire he put behind the kiss and my legs practically fell out from under me, making Edward chuckle as he held me up.

"What was that?" I gasped, as he helped me into my car.

"A preview of next Saturday," he said in a seductive tone.

I blinked at him, trying to wrap my mind around his words.

"Are you okay to drive home?" he asked, a sly grin on his handsome face.

I nodded my head slowly, eliciting another chuckle from him. He gave me a chaste kiss on the lips then closed my door.

I watched him walk to his car and he gave me a quick wave before getting in and driving off. I had to shake my head, trying to clear out the fog Edward had left behind with that kiss. As I checked on Charlie in the rearview mirror, I caught sight of my flushed face and started laughing softly. That had been one hell of a preview and I couldn't wait for the actual show; maybe Rose hadn't been teasing me after all.

I decided that since I was already out and about, I would drive over to Emmett's college and visit him too. We'd been talking almost every day again and things were finally starting to feel normal with him.

I parked in the lot near the football field, smiling as I heard the clashing of helmets. I could see Emmett running down the sideline, coming my way, with his whistle bouncing up and down against his chest. He was clearly yelling at someone on the field as he ran.

I pulled Charlie's seat from the base, flipping the cover down to keep the sun out of his face and made my way onto the field, careful to stay far to the sides and out of everyone's way. I set Charlie down on one of the benches and then used my hands to shield my eyes so I could watch Em and his players.

"That's it! That's it!" Emmett was yelling. "Now tackle him. Take him down!"

The person he was yelling at seemed to have listened because the two guys on this end of the field fell down in a heap.

"Good job!" Emmett said, rushing toward them. He lifted them up from the ground, patting them on their butts and sending them back up the field.

"Em!" I yelled, waving at him and actually managing to be heard over all of the other noise out here.

Emmett ran right over to me and wrapped his arms around me, lifting me off my feet and swinging me around. "Look at you out and about!"

"Put me down, you big bear," I laughed.

"Hey, I didn't hurt your stomach, did I?" he asked, looking concerned.

"No, I'm okay," I assured him. "I only hurt if I bend over too far."

"Well, then don't do that," he chuckled, pushing my shoulder lightly.

"Thank you for the news flash, big brother," I replied, rolling my eyes at him.

"God, it's good to have you smiling and being a brat," he sighed, hugging me again.

"Shut up and tell me about your team this season," I said, pulling away slightly.

"My defensive line is better than last year, but not as good as the year before. If I can ever get them to listen to me, then they might just get better. But it's like talking to a bunch of yahoos wearing earplugs."

A few of the players ran over to us and a blonde haired one smiled and winked at me—it was hard not to laugh at him. "Who's the hottie, Coach?" he asked, trying his smile once more.

"Davis, I know you aren't talking like that about my baby sister," Emmett replied, crossing his arms and making his muscles flex. I leaned into him, letting his big shoulder muffle my laughter.

The guys around the blonde haired guy starting teasing him about getting called out by Emmett and all the noise woke Charlie, making him whimper. I quickly lifted him out of his seat and bounced him in my arms, getting him to calm right down.

"Boys, say 'hello' to my nephew, Charlie. He's going to be my prize linebacker when he's old enough," Emmett chuckled, letting Charlie hang onto one of his big fingers. "You got my finger! Don't rip it off," Emmett said, pretending to be scared of Charlie. My little man let out a round of baby giggles and then tucked his face against my neck.

"Alright, that kid cannot be related to you, Coach," one of the other players said. "He's way too cute and cuddly."

"Watch your mouth, Tucker. I'll make your a—" Emmett started before I shoved my elbow into his side.

"Watch your own mouth, Em," I warned, glaring a little to show him I was serious.

"Damn, woman! Keep that bony elbow to yourself," Em cried, rubbing his side. "Besides, the little man can't understand yet."

"I don't care if you think he can understand or not. I said no cursing near my baby."

"We know who wears the pants in their family," one of the players said, getting the rest to laugh.

"Don't you boys have some laps to run for me?" Emmett asked, taking the time to stare down each of his players. The players mumbled things I couldn't quite understand and then took off running.

"You should be nice to them," I told him. "They think Charlie's a cutie," I cooed, tickling my little man's chin and getting him to giggle.

"Give me my nephew and I'll think about it," Emmett said, holding his arms out. I passed Charlie to him and immediately regretted it, wincing as Emmett tossed Charlie up and then caught him.

"I can't stand when you do that," I said, resisting the urge to take my baby back.

"Stop being a wimp. Dad used to do this with both of us when we were little, and I did it with Lily all the time," Emmett replied.

"Really?"

"Yeah," Emmett chuckled as Charlie squealed in his arms. "You loved it so much that you would run up to Dad and launch yourself at him. With as clumsy as you were, I was always shocked to see you make it to him without wiping out."

"Hey, I haven't tripped in weeks," I fussed. "Charlie's good for my balance."

"And your smile," Emmett chuckled, passing my baby to me and laughing as Charlie dove toward me. "Dive, dive, dive," he yelled, tickling Charlie's side and getting even more giggles out of my little man.

"He's going to need another nap just to recuperate from you," I said, getting Charlie settled against my shoulder.

"So what are the two of you doing out anyway?" Emmett asked as we moved over and sat down on the bench together.

I moved Charlie so that he was sitting on my knees and started to bounce him a little—one of his new favorite things to do. "We went to have lunch with Daddy," I said, talking more to Charlie than Emmett.

"Look at that smile on his face," Emmett chuckled. "Does he do that every time you mention Edward?"

"Yep. And you'd already know that if you wouldn't have spent so long avoiding me."

"And I've already apologized like four times, so take a cue from the All American Rejects and 'Move Along'," Emmett told me.

"Nope," I chuckled.

"Why not, Squirt? Don't you love your brother bear anymore?"

"Of course I love you. But I like reminding you because it 'Gives You Hell', another excellent A.A.R. song."

"Touché, baby sister."

"Look at you with a big word!"

"Alice taught me that one," he said, winking at me. "So when's Lily's next play-date with her little cousin here?" he asked, taking Charlie's hand into his own and making a goofy face at my baby.

"If you love me, it'll be next weekend. I need a babysitter for Friday night, all day Saturday, and part of Sunday morning."

"Uh oh. Sounds like somebody got cleared for some s-e-x-y time."

"I'm shocked you would say it so casually, brother bear," I chuckled. "That time you mistook a massage for the deed is still a night I laugh about from time to time."

"Yeah, well, you're a mom now, Bells. There's no denying that you know how it works."

"What else?" I pressed, nudging his arm with mine. "Charlie alone wouldn't change your tune that much."

"What can I say, Bells? I finally learned how to be happy you're happy without worrying about what got you there. But that only applies so long as whatever is making you happy isn't bad for your health. If you ever leave me alone around here, I'm so going to whip your ass when I see you again."

"I love you, too," I chuckled, leaning up and kissing his cheek. "Oh! Before I forget, Edward's going to call you later to see about arranging a barbecue for tomorrow. Think you might want to spend some time with your little sister?"

Emmett grinned and put his arm around me, pulling me into his side. "I think you and I are long overdue for spending a whole day together."

I spent a few more minutes chatting with my big brother and then I headed home with my little man. Esme met us at the door and while she changed Charlie for me, I told her all about our afternoon in the city. We talked for a bit about how I was dealing with all of my anger and grief, and then we went downstairs to fix dinner together. Charlie had a great time banging his rattle against his highchair and talking to Esme and me, although we had no idea what he was saying since it was mostly just noises. Laughing with my mother-in-law and enjoying the sight of my smiling baby, my heart felt lighter than it had in a very long time. By all accounts, it was one of the best days I'd had since giving birth and it made me hopeful that there would be plenty more to come.

* * *

Super huge thanks to George for her Beta skills, and to Lizbre and CMC for being my pre-readers!


	46. Family Barbecue

**DISCLAIMER:** The characters do not belong to me…they are all the creation of the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. All are human.

**Family BBQ**

**Edward's POV**

"What do you have, little man?" Bella asked Charlie, tickling his sides and getting him to giggle. "You have Raffe? Are you going to chew his antlers again?" **(That was just for you and Cade, HP)**

Charlie was almost four months old now and he was starting to enjoy holding his toys and playing with them. So far, his favorite toy was the stuffed giraffe that had adorned the diaper cake at Bella's baby shower. He loved getting some part of it into his mouth and slobbering all over it; I was not fond of being the one to touch it after that.

"What do you think, Edward?" Bella asked as she lifted Charlie up for my inspection. We were going to a family barbecue at Emmett's today and Bella was very excited about it. She'd dressed Charlie in a new black shirt and blue jeans—the shirt had a lion on it with the word "roar" going around the lion. I had no idea how she'd managed to find so many lion themed items for the baby, but she had. She said since we couldn't pass my old lion down to our baby, we'd just pass a love of lions on to him.

"He looks very dashing, Bella," I told her, taking my son and bringing him into the bathroom with me. He was starting to recognize faces and he enjoyed getting to see his face in the mirror. "What do you think, Charlie? Do you think you could dazzle the ladies in this outfit?" He laughed and leaned toward the mirror, slapping his little hand over his reflection. "I think he likes it," I said to Bella as I walked back into the bedroom with the baby.

"Good," she replied, shimmying into her jeans.

I turned away, trying to pretend I hadn't just seen that. We only had one week left before she would be cleared for "adult" activities and I was both more than ready and completely terrified. The man in me wanted to ravish my wife and get lost in touching her silky smooth skin. But the part of me that was still struggling with almost losing her wanted to wait longer. The idea of anything at all causing her more pain than she'd already been through ripped my heart up.

There was no hope of waiting, though. Bella was looking forward to next weekend and had even given me permission to rent us a room for the weekend. She'd been using her pump to make extra bottles for Charlie and was working herself up to leave him for an entire day and two nights. How could I disappoint her when she obviously wanted this so much? I'd barely been able to pull her away from Charlie since he'd been born, but to be with me, she was prepared to leave him from Friday night until Sunday morning.

I was lost…And I just might have to ask Jasper and Emmett for help. Emmett would either get angry I'd asked him at all, or he'd tease me to the point of mortification. But Jasper would be understanding and helpful.

"Edward? Hello!" Bella laughed, waving her hand in front of my face. "What are you thinking about so hard?"

"Just my beautiful wife and my little boy," I said, hugging her and Charlie close.

Bella giggled against my chest as she wrapped her arms around me. "I love you, Edward."

"I love you, too," I replied, pressing my lips to the top of her head.

Charlie accidentally smacked Bella with his giraffe and she laughed, pulling away and taking the baby from me. "Don't you worry, little man. I love you, too," she said, lifting him up just a little before bringing him back down. She knew that he liked it, but she wasn't as fearless about it as Emmett and I were.

"Do we have everything we need in his bag?" I asked, picking it from our bed.

"Three of most things," Bella replied. "We are all set for Uncle Em's barbecue."

"Let's get going then."

We headed down the stairs together and met up with my parents in the living room. "Look at that little man," my mother cooed, rushing over to Charlie and Bella. "He is so adorable in this, Bella."

"Thanks, Esme," Bella said proudly as she handed Charlie over to my mother.

"Alice will be thrilled to see she's rubbing off on Bella," my dad chuckled.

"What do you mean?" I asked, honestly not knowing.

"Son, you match your son," he chuckled, pointing between Charlie and me. I'd been so busy enjoying the morning with Bella and Charlie that I hadn't really noticed what clothes Bella had set out for me…dark jeans and a black shirt.

"You really shouldn't be using my lack of sleep against me like this, Bella," I told her.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Tutor-boy," Bella said, trying to look innocent. "I can't wait to see Elizabeth and Brandon," she said, changing the subject.

"All of our grandbabies together for the first time," my mother chirped. "Carlisle, you did charge the camera completely, right?"

"Charged and has the extra memory stick with it," my dad assured her.

We headed out of the house and piled into Bella's car with Bella and my mother sitting in the back with Charlie while my father rode up front with me. The drive to Emmett and Rosalie's house was filled with baby talk and baby noises…and Bella's laughter. It was a sound that I had missed immensely, but was starting to hear more and more of lately.

I pulled into the driveway right behind Jasper and Alice, and the front yard of Emmett's house became a flurry of movement and people as we removed all of the babies and bags from the vehicles. The ladies took the babies inside while the rest of us struggled with the numerous diaper bags, playpens, and bouncy seats that were required for a full day out of the house.

"Just put it all in the living room," Emmett said as he held the front door open for us. "I moved the extra sofa against the wall so there's plenty of room for all the baby stuff."

"Please tell me you have a cold beer for me," Jasper begged as he struggled with the playpen and two bouncy seats in his arms. My dad was carrying three of the twins diaper bags and I had the fourth, along with Charlie's bag and bouncy seat.

"One for each of you poor saps," Emmett chuckled. "It's my gift to you to welcome you to fatherhood and all the heavy lifting that comes with it."

"How about you help with the actual lifting part instead?" I asked.

"Eddie, that would be cheating you out of the joy of your fatherly duties," he replied with a huge grin.

**Bella's POV**

"Alice, they are so beautiful," I said, sitting next to her and the babies on Rosalie's bed.

"And so calm," she said with a huge smile, rubbing Brandon's tummy. "They are so much like Jasper right now."

Charlie started making his "mm" noise as he stuffed one of his giraffe's antlers into his mouth, making us laugh.

"Look at how active he is now," Alice cooed, tickling Charlie's chin. "I can't wait for my babies to get to that stage."

"Don't be in a rush, Ali," Esme cautioned. "They never repeat this stage again."

"I'm just so excited for all of it, Mom," Alice replied. "This is the most amazing thing I've ever done and I'm just so happy about it all."

"Even the diapers?" Rose asked, laughing a little.

"Uh, no! Jasper is handling diaper duty currently," Alice said. "I handle everything else, but the dirty diapers are his forte."

Rose looked completely shocked as she started at Alice. "How in the heck did you broker that deal?"

Alice smirked as she lifted her hand up and dramatically blew across her nails. "I have my ways."

"You sneaky, Pixie! You bribed him with promises of sex," Rose chuckled.

"Oh, Alice," Esme giggled from behind her hand.

"I only suggested it," Alice defended, still grinning like crazy. "He was the one who jumped all over the deal."

"Because he wants to jump all over you," I said with a laugh of my own.

"Speaking of that," Rose said as she took Charlie from me. "I hear this little man is spending the weekend with me next week."

"That's the plan," I replied. "I think."

"What do you mean, you think?" Alice asked.

"Well, I asked Edward about it, but I don't think he's making any plans. I think he's going to say we should wait since next Thursday is Thanksgiving."

"But that's perfect!" Alice argued. "You spend Thanksgiving with the family, you have Friday off to pack together, and then you spend the rest of Friday and all of Saturday just the two of you."

"I thought so. But like I said, I don't know about Edward. One minute, it seems like he misses me in that way and wants me, and the next…" I just finished with a shrug.

"Of course he wants you," Esme said, taking my hand into hers. "He's just reluctant because of everything that's happened."

"I know, but…Well, when's he going to stop?" I asked. "I mean, I've gotten the stitches out, I've been facing what happened and working through the anger, and I've been showing him I'm perfectly fine by handling Charlie by myself all day long. When is he going to see that I'm okay?"

"Bella, any reluctance Edward has toward you is just nerves," Rosalie told me. "It's been a long while since the two of you were intimate and you've been through a heck of a lot emotionally and physically since then. It's almost going to be like it's your first time all over again."

"So what do I do?" I asked.

"First of all, we're going to the store this week to get you something special to wear for the occasion. Secondly, Alice and I are going to give you some pointers on taking charge," Rose said.

"Shopping," Alice sighed. "I miss shopping." And then her frown turned into a smile. "But I have my babies," she cooed, leaning down and kissing Elizabeth's cheek.

"What do you mean by 'taking charge'?" I asked. The way Rose and Alice laughed in response made me a little nervous.

"Oh, how young and innocent you still are, Bells," Rose chuckled.

"Not for long," Alice promised.

**Edward's POV**

"Where did our wives disappear to?" Jasper asked. The four of us were sitting at one of the tables in the backyard, enjoying our beers and the sunshine.

"Do you care?" Emmett questioned. "Shouldn't you just be relieved you're being given a break?"

"I was just curious," Jasper replied. "Besides, it's not as bad as I thought it would be. The babies mostly sleep, and the only thing Ali really wants me to do is to change diapers and run errands. I almost feel like I'm not doing enough."

"I'm sure keeping Alice happy is a job within itself," my father chuckled.

"Carlisle, she's honestly calmed a lot," Jasper replied. "She still wants what she wants, but at least she's learned to be patient for it."

"My sister and patient? Yeah, I can't imagine that," I said, grinning at Jasper. "Are you sure you're talking about _the_ Ali?"

"No," Jasper said, his smile growing even wider. "I'm talking about _my_ Ali."

"God, go a few months without sex and you turn into such a girl," Emmett said, patting Jasper hard on the back.

"Shut up, Emmett. I happen to love my wife and don't mind saying it."

"That's because you're whipped."

"Says the man who plays tea party just because his little girl asks!"

"Hey, you were supposed to keep that to yourself," Emmett fussed.

"That's what you get for making fun of me," Jasper chuckled.

"So, Emmett, how many tea cups did you crush in those big paws of yours?" I asked, grinning at him.

"Laugh it up, Eddie," Emmett replied with a scowl.

"I will. Thank you," I chuckled.

"How about I just don't baby-sit for you next weekend then?" he challenged.

"You'll do it anyway," Jasper said. "You know Bells wants it."

"Edward, have you thought about where you would take her?" my dad asked.

"No." My answer must have surprised them because they each stared at me without saying anything. I just shrugged at them.

"Edward, you never leave anything to the last minute. What's going on?" Jasper asked.

"It's not the last minute. There's almost a week before Friday gets here," I replied.

"Dude, for you, that's like five minutes away," Emmett said.

"Planning has sort of gone out the door since Charlie came along," I told them. "It took us forever just to get him to follow a sleep schedule."

"That's a crappy excuse," Emmett said, frowning at me. "Bells is looking forward to next week. I thought you would be, too."

"I didn't say that I wasn't. I just said I haven't had time to plan for it," I replied.

"Edward, you know it's okay if you're nervous," Jasper said, putting his hand on my arm. "It's to be expected from both of you. But if Bella is ready, then you just have to man up and be ready for her."

"At least make the effort of planning something special, Edward," my father urged. "Even if you still don't feel ready to be intimate with her, give her a different sort of intimacy. How about a spa weekend? I took your mother to this beautiful hotel last year, and there was a spa suite that we rented. It had a great view and the entire room gave off a relaxing feeling. Your mother loved it, and I bet Bella would, too."

"I'll get the information from you when we get home, Dad," I said.

"Ed, man, after how big I just screwed up with Bells, don't go behind me and do the same," Emmett cautioned. "I can see in your face that you're trying to find a way out."

"This isn't the same thing," I argued. "And besides, I thought you of all people would be gung-ho about me staying away from Bella."

"I don't now, nor have I ever, condoned anything that hurts my baby sister," he replied, looking pissed. "I'm still kicking my own self for doing it to her. As hard as it was to let go and let Bella be an adult, it made her happy, so I had to learn to deal with it. She loves you, Edward. Being with you makes her happy. I'm not going to stand in the way of that. That's not to say I'm going to give you a play-by-play of how to sex my sister up, but I will be honest and say that you two need to reconnect in that way. It's great to be parents, and to focus on bonding with your kid, but you still have to be a couple, too."

"He's right," Jasper agreed. "And damn that was weird to say," he added, laughing a little.

"How many more weeks until Alice can rock your world and turn you back into a man?" Emmett goaded.

"Em, you're a—" Jasper growled before catching himself. "A very bad word I can't say because Lily just walked outside," he said, plastering a fake smile on his face for Lily's sake. "Hey, sweetheart," he said to her as she ran up to him. He lifted her up and set her on his lap, kissing her cheek. "Uncle Jasper missed you."

"Too many babies inside, Princess?" Emmett asked, reaching over and ruffling Lily's hair.

"No, they're all out here with us," Rose said as she stepped out with Brandon in her arms.

Jasper immediately got up from his seat and towed Alice over, sitting her down. "Want anything, Ali?"

"Tea would be wonderful," she chirped, smiling at him.

"Just sit and rest and I'll get it," he told her before rushing inside.

"Daddy, someone got cranky without you around," Bella said as she passed Charlie to me.

"Hey, little man," I said softly as I got him settled in my arms.

"Esme, might I have a turn with my granddaughter?" my dad asked, watching my Mom rocking Elizabeth in her arms.

"Later," she chuckled, smiling at him.

"That's okay," he groaned out as he lifted Lily up. "My first granddaughter wants to spend some time with me," he chuckled as Lily hugged him tightly.

I took Bella's hand into mine, rubbing my thumb across her soft skin. "Why don't you sit with us?" I offered.

"I don't want to make you uncomfortable," she said, giving me a sweet smile.

I smiled the way she liked best. "Please?"

Her cheeks heated up as she bit her bottom lip and nodded her head a little; I had no idea how she could still love me enough to be that affected just by me smiling at her, but I knew I wanted it to always be that way. Bella took Charlie into her arms and then she sat down in my lap, letting me hold her and our baby together.

"All these chairs and the three of you camp out in just one," Emmett chuckled.

"Jealous?" Bella asked, grinning at him.

"Yes," Emmett immediately replied. "All that's ever been missing from my life is the joy of sitting on Eddie's lap."

"You'd break him," Jasper chuckled as he handed Alice a glass of tea.

"You are the best husband in the world, you know that, right?" she asked, giving him a big smile.

"Just in your world," he chuckled, kissing her forehead.

"This is really nice," Rose said as she settled herself in Emmett's lap. "We have the whole family here, and all of our babies are here and healthy. This is exactly how it's supposed to be."

"Toss in the beer, and the burgers for later, and we've got Heaven," Emmett chuckled.

"This just goes to show that even though it may take a while, wishes do come true," my mother announced as she sat next to us with Elizabeth asleep in her arms. "I wished for a big family, full of love and cheer, and here you all are."

**Bella's POV**

Esme's simple declaration hit me hard for some reason and I held tighter to my son, showering him with kisses. His hand came up as he tried to give me his giraffe and I found myself laughing and sniffling. "Thank you, Charlie," I whispered to him, hugging him and his giraffe closer.

"Chippies, Momma!" Lily cried out.

I lifted my head to see her kneeling in Carlisle's lap, holding her little hand out toward her mother.

"It's only eleven-thirty in the morning, baby girl. No chippies. You can have them at lunch," Rose told her. "In fact," she said, turning her head to look at Emmett. "Poppa Bear, shouldn't you be firing up the grill?"

"Soon as my beautiful wife gets her sweet tush off me," Emmett said with a grin.

"Behave," Rose warned. She kissed his lips quickly and then stood up, letting him get out of the chair before sitting down again.

"I better help," Jasper said as he let go of Alice's hand. "We don't want him setting anything on fire."

"What did Charlie think of Elizabeth and Brandon?" Edward asked, resting his head against mine.

"He wasn't really sure what to make of them since they weren't doing anything. But Lily adores them already. She kept taking turns kissing their hands," I replied. "She's really got a way with the babies, Edward. Charlie even offered Raffe to her. Of course, the moment she tried to take him, Charlie fussed at her. Not that she would have gotten it out of his grip anyway," I chuckled. I lifted Charlie up and turned him so that he could see Edward. "Isn't that right, little man? You only let Mommy and Daddy have Raffe, and only for a little bit."

Charlie smiled at us as he excitedly bounced up and down on my legs, his little giraffe swinging back and forth from his hand.

"So has my nephew done anything new?" Alice asked.

"He rolled over onto his back yesterday," I replied. "And then he got really mad that he couldn't get back onto his stomach by himself."

"He turned as bright red as Bella does when she gets embarrassed, and he let out a howl," Edward chuckled.

"Poor little man," Rose said, smiling at Charlie. "You have things to do and that little body of yours isn't listening just yet. By the way, Bells, I love his shirt."

"Oh, that's what I forgot to say!" Alice cried. "Major points on the cuteness of my nephew, and double points for getting him to match his daddy."

"Thanks," I laughed. "I thought you'd appreciate that, Alice."

"Squirt, get over here and help," Emmett yelled out, waving his spatula at me.

"I'm comfortable," I told him.

"Yeah, but you know how to make the burgers stay together no matter how many times I flip them."

"Go on," Edward encouraged. "He's making an effort to hang out with you."

"I know, but I was enjoying my time with you and Charlie."

"We have plenty of time for that, Love. Go hang out with your big brother for now."

I agreed and left my husband and baby with the family while I joined Jasper and Emmett near the grill. "You know, if you'd just leave them alone and not flip them so often, they'd be just fine," I said, looking at the ingredient bowls they'd set out for me.

"What fun would that be?" Emmett asked, grinning at me.

"You're such a big kid," I chuckled.

"And proud of it," he replied.

"So how are things, Bells?" Jasper asked.

"Really, really good," I said honestly. "I'm not having any pain, the stitches are gone, and my scar doesn't look half as ghastly as it did in the beginning."

"And motherhood?" he questioned, handing me a tray for the burgers.

"It rocks," I chuckled. "Charlie is in this great curious stage where he's looking all around and grabbing everything he can reach. He's even trying to roll over now."

"How are you and Edward doing?" Jasper asked, exchanging a glance with Emmett. I wondered what that was about, but wasn't worried about asking for once. I was enjoying today too much to bother.

"Still a little tense at times. I don't think he really believes that I feel as good as I say I do."

"What do you mean?" Emmett asked.

"Well, like next weekend. I think Edward would prefer it if we just stayed home and didn't do anything," I explained.

"Nah," Emmett said, shaking his head. "He's just trying to keep it all a surprise, Bells. He's got it all planned it out, don't you worry."

I looked closely at Emmett, trying to figure out if he was being honest or not. "Really?"

"Would I lie to you, Squirt?" Emmett asked, looking right at me.

"I would hope not," I replied, handing him the tray of burgers for the grill. "Enough about me, though. Jasper, how are you liking fatherhood?"

"For being so small, they sure can make some major messes," he chuckled. "But I love them so much already. It's amazing that they can come into your life and just take over everything that way. Then again, that's exactly how it was with Alice," he added with a laugh.

"Imagine that," Emmett snorted. "The Pixie taking over something."

"She's still very unhappy that she's banned from helping to plan Christmas," Jasper said, grinning at me. "Rosalie and you are very brave to have stolen Alice's favorite holiday away from her."

"Well, we figured it was about time she got surprised for the holidays for once," I told him. "And I really think she's going to love what we've planned and done."

"Bella is excited for Christmas? That's a first," Emmett chuckled.

"No, I am, Em," I assured him. "I can't wait to take Charlie out in his winter gear so he can help pick a tree."

"Remember when we could all just fit in Emmett's jeep?" Jasper asked. "Now we need a whole caravan of vehicles."

I grinned at Jasper. "It's pretty cool, huh?"

"The coolest," he agreed with a nod.

"So, Bells, about next weekend," Emmett said as he lowered the lid on his grill. "I want to set some ground rules with you, young lady."

"Is that right?" I snorted.

He grinned and wrapped his big arm around me, pulling me close. "Number one, no calls from the police about you getting arrested for indecent exposure. I realize it's been awhile for the both of you, but that's no excuse for Little Eddie to come peeking out before you get to your hotel room."

"Emmett," I groaned as my face heated up.

"Number two, no calls to me to check on Charlie," he continued, ignoring me. "You get one call in the morning, one in the afternoon, and one at night. And if you want to call and tell me how amazing of a big brother I am, I can let that one extra call slide."

"Nice," Jasper chuckled.

"Number three, don't break Edward. He's kind of scrawny, so if you jump him too hard, you might hurt him."

"Emmett, stop," I pleaded. My face and neck felt like they were on fire and I knew I must have been bright red.

"Number four…Never mind. I forgot number four," Emmett said.

"Thank God for that," I sighed.

"On second thought, I remember," he said, grinning wickedly at me. "Number four, don't be afraid to find the freak within, Bells. Sometimes, you just have to get a little frisky to enjoy it properly."

"I cannot believe you just said all that to me," I told him.

"Hey, you asked me one time to give you the sex talk, so there you go," Emmett replied. "Use the knowledge wisely, Squirt."

**Edward's POV**

"Look at Mommy laugh with Uncle Emmett," I said to Charlie as I held him up so that he could see. "She how beautiful she is when she smiles and laughs?"

"Edward, can I talk to you?" Alice asked, smiling at me.

"Sure," I said, repositioning Charlie so that he was cradled against my arm. "What's up?"

"I want to talk to you about next weekend."

"What about it?" I asked, wary of this topic and her motivations.

"Well, Bella is sort of worried that you don't want to spend the weekend with her, and I was hoping you could tell me that she was just being silly."

"That's absurdly silly, Alice. Of course I want to spend the weekend with Bella. I love being with her."

"And that includes having some very private husband and wife time?" Alice pressed.

"This really is not a conversation for a family barbecue, Alice," I told her.

"It's just me and Rosie at the table with you," she replied. "Mom and Dad are going to be busy for a bit longer with Elizabeth and Brandon."

"Come on, Edward. We just want to help Bella and you out a little," Rose said.

"Help us with what exactly?" I asked.

"Letting go of your nerves and worries, and discovering the joy of physical love all over again," Alice answered.

"I think we're more than old enough to figure that out on our own," I told her.

"You might be old enough, but are you willing enough?" she questioned.

"Alice, I will be going away with my wife next weekend," I assured my sister. "I have no idea what will transpire on our trip, but I will do all I can to make sure she has an amazing time."

"Edward, I know this is hard for you to talk about with Rose and me, but we're worried for you guys. You don't understand how much Bella is looking forward to this weekend with you," Alice said.

"You can't refuse her anything, Edward. It would break her heart," Rose added. "She's already half-way convinced you don't find her sexually appealing anymore."

"She's _what_?" I asked, a little louder than I'd intended. Charlie had been drifting off, but the loudness of my voice startled him and upset him. "Daddy's sorry, little man," I cooed, resting him against my shoulder and lightly rocking him in my arms. "It's okay." Charlie didn't seem convinced of that since he continued to cry.

"Edward, let me go put him down for a nap," Bella offered, suddenly appearing next to me. "He didn't sleep for as long as usual last night and he's probably cranky."

"Alright," I agreed, letting her take him.

She held him close to her chest and walked off, whispering to him all the way.

"So getting back to earlier," I said as soon as Bella was in the house.

"We were talking earlier and Bella said that she thought you didn't want this weekend to happen," Alice explained.

"We tried to tell her that was silly, and that maybe you were just nervous about it," Rose added. "But I don't know that she really believed us."

"Maybe you could print out some pages for the place you've booked and 'accidentally' leave them lying around the room so she can see you're making plans for it," Alice suggested.

I grimaced, knowing I didn't have anything to leave around because I didn't have any plans yet.

"Edward Anthony Cullen," Alice said, shaking her head in disappointment. "What is wrong with you?"

"Nothing, I just…I _am_ nervous, Ali. For a lot of reasons. And I was procrastinating, but I've always intended to do something for her. I just didn't know what. But Dad gave me an idea for a spa suite at this place he took Mom to once and I'm going to do that."

"You better get on that as soon as possible," Alice warned.

"I will. As soon as I get home and can get near the computer."

"Why don't you go use Emmett's laptop in his office?" Rose suggested. "At least get it booked so that you don't miss out on it. And then you can print things to leave around later on."

"Alright," I agreed, standing up. "I really was going to do something for her. I'd never let her think I didn't want to be with her."

"I know, Edward," Alice said. "But you just have to put forth a little extra effort right now. Bella needs to completely believe and feel like she's still sexy and beautiful to you and it's going to take more than your promises this time. You're really going to have to show her."

"But first, go book a place to take her to show her," Rose said, pointing toward the house.

I headed inside without another word and went in search of my father. He gave me the name of the hotel and I managed to get to Emmett's office without anyone else seeing me. I didn't want Bella to see me on the computer and know that I was just now booking us a place. She would take it all wrong and I'd probably never get her to change her mind with as stubborn as she could be some times.

She truly was the most beautiful and desirable woman I'd ever met and there wasn't a second that went by where I stopped feeling that way about her. I was just afraid of hurting her. What if I was too eager and I hurt her?

Or what if I couldn't stop thinking about almost losing her, and couldn't bring myself to touch her? That would be more devastating to her than me physically hurting her. No, I couldn't risk undoing all of her progress and letting her think for a second that she wasn't still the amazing woman I'd fallen in love with and married. I would lavish so much love and attention on her that she would never want the weekend to end. I would show her that she was still, and always would be, my beautiful Bella.


	47. My Poor Little Man

**DISCLAIMER:** The characters do not belong to me…they are all the creation of the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. All are human.

**My Poor Little Man**

**Bella's POV**

"Bella, hold the dress up a little higher. If the picture isn't just right, Alice will make me take it again," Rose said, adjusting her camera phone in her hand. "Perfect," she said as she snapped a picture. "And…it…is…sent!"

"Think she'll like it?" I asked, running my hand over the soft fabric. It was a beautiful red dress with a deep v-neck—it showed more than I normally would have wanted, but this was a special occasion. And the ribbon that tied to the side, just above the waist, would almost certainly hide the little bit of pregnancy stomach I hadn't lost yet.

"It's red, it's hot, and it's sexy as hell," Rose replied. "I think she'll love it. Hell, I love it! Of course, she'll make you put it on and make me send a picture of that before she'll actually say it."

"I figured," I chuckled. "What's next after this?"

"Shoes to match and then the lingerie."

"You're excited for that part, aren't you?"

"Oh, yeah," Rose chuckled. "You are getting something you normally wouldn't, and it's going to be red, and Edward won't stand a chance. The dress alone is going to be enough to give him a heart attack so by the time he sees what's underneath, he'll be putty in your hands."

"I don't want to give him a heart attack, Rose. I just want to make sure he's too enticed to be worried about anything."

"Don't worry, Bells. Alice and I will help." She looked down at her phone and chuckled. "Speaking of the Pixie. She says to get in a dressing room and put it on. Time for another picture."

I laughed as I turned around and started walking for the dressing rooms. Honestly, I was excited to try it on and I really hoped I could pull it off with my post-baby body.

With a little help from Rose, I got the dress on and I had to admit that I really looked good in it. I even posed for the camera phone when Rose took the picture.

"I love it when you're in the mood to shop," Rose chuckled. "It makes everything so much easier. Not to mention, it's nice to see there really is a little bit of a sexy vixen inside of you."

"I don't know where it comes from, but every so often, I get confident enough to attempt to be sexy. I'm just not so sure I pull it off well."

"Trust me, Bells, if Edward has just seen that pose, your weekend would be starting right here and now."

"I really don't think he's going to be like that, Rose. I think he's going to be really hesitant."

"And you will pull him right out of it, Bella. Just be patient with the both of you and start out small. Don't go right for the big finish part. There's a ton of ways to show each other intimacy without taking off all of your clothes."

"Meaning?"

"Like…Does Edward like his scalp massaged? Emmett loves it when he sits down in front of me and I just lightly scratch and rub through his curls. The man gets so relaxed, he nearly purrs."

"I don't know…Never tried it before."

"One night this week, get him to lay with you and then just test it out. Be very absent-minded about it, like you don't even know you're doing it, and see how he reacts."

"Alright. I can do that. What else?"

"Massages. You can massage pretty much any body part and make it sensual if you do it the right way. A little lotion, or a nice smelling oil—nothing greasy though."

"I think I'm learning more than I want to about what you do with my brother."

Rose snorted and lifted one perfect eyebrow at me. "Would you rather have Alice explain it to you?"

"No way," I replied instantly. "She won't be as tactful as you're being. Then again, my mom probably wouldn't have been either," I added, laughing a little.

Rose just smiled at me.

"What?" I asked.

"Nothing," she said, smiling wider and hugging me. "It's just great to have you talking about your mom with a big smile on your face."

"I've been having a lot of fun looking at old photo albums and telling Charlie all about his grandparents. Rose, I miss my baby."

She chuckled at me. "I know, but we won't be that much longer. Besides, this is good practice for this weekend."

"I'm so nervous about it, and I know that's completely silly since I've been with Edward for so long now."

"It's also completely understandable, Bells. In a lot of ways, this will be like your first time with him all over again."

"Was it that way for Emmett and you?"

"A little bit, but not really. I had a great pregnancy with Lily and I was cleared to be active within five weeks of her birth, so we really didn't have that long of a break. With Edward and you, it's been months of abstinence."

"Do you know I've only had one real kiss from him in all this time?"

"That doesn't surprise me. You've both had a lot to deal with, mentally and physically."

"But you're sure he wants this weekend…that he wants _me_?"

"Bella, I promise you that I'm being honest. He does have things planned and he is looking forward to it. He has mixed feelings about leaving Charlie, just like you do, but he wants his wife back. More than that, he wants his best friend and lover back. This weekend will be a great way for you guys to reconnect on all levels, not just the physical one. You'll get to have uninterrupted conversations that don't include code words or baby talk, and you'll get to just relax together. As important as it is for you two to focus on Charlie since he's so young, it's just as important to remember to focus on each other. You don't want to end up just being Charlie's parents. You've got to keep your marriage alive and remember to still be Edward and Bella."

"Esme said pretty much the same thing when we talked last night. She's been so amazing to me, Rose. I really want to do something great for her to show her how much I appreciate it."

"Well, with all the number one grandparent items we picked up for Carlisle and her, I'm sure she'll get the hint," Rose chuckled. She looked down at her phone for a second and then laughed. "Alice says to rush to the counter and purchase the dress before you can change your mind about it."

"I'm not changing my mind. I really do love this dress," I said, looking at my reflection in the dressing room mirror.

"Good. I'll leave you to change then."

Once I was dressed in my own clothes, we purchased the dress and headed on to our last stop—and the one Rose had been looking forward to most. It took me an hour and a lot of pleading to finally pull Rose from the store. But at least I had everything I needed for this weekend, and I had honestly enjoyed a day of just being a grown up spending time with another grown up. I was also missing my son terribly and trying pretend otherwise; I didn't want Rosalie to think I hadn't had fun with her.

The second we walked into the house, we were greeted by a very excited Lily and a crying Charlie. "What's wrong with my little man?" I asked, quickly setting the bags down so I could get my baby.

"He's still cranky and stuffy," Esme said as she passed Charlie to me. "I was just getting ready to take him up and check his temperature. I think he might have a bit of a fever."

"Oh, poor little man," I cooed, pressing my lips to Charlie's forehead. "I shouldn't have you left you when you weren't feeling well."

"Bella, don't say that," Esme chastised. "You being here wouldn't have changed the fact that Charlie is catching a cold."

"I know," I sighed. "Just feeling a little guilty for having such a great time while this little man wasn't. You know, he does feel warm. I'm going to take him up to check."

"You should also try to get him to eat. He was very unhappy with his bottle earlier."

"Thanks, Esme," I said as I headed for the stairs. "Hey, Rose?"

"I'll put the bags in my room," she replied immediately. "You just focus on my nephew."

"Thanks," I called out, already at the first landing. Charlie was whimpering and rubbing his face against my shoulder. "My poor little man," I cooed. "Mommy's sorry you're not feeling well. This is one first I wouldn't mind if you skipped, you know."

I brought Charlie into my bathroom and pulled out the baby thermometer. I sang softly to him, trying to calm him while I took his temperature. I was starting to get worried that he might have an ear infection with the way he was pulling away and crying harder each time I got the thermometer near his little ear. I sighed and gave up, knowing I would have to use a regular thermometer instead of the pricey digital once Edward had insisted on.

Charlie was much more compliant with a small thermometer under his arm and I was able to get a good reading…I just wasn't happy with it.

With Charlie crying in one ear, I tried to focus on the nurse speaking in my other one. "…and give him a lukewarm bath to help him feel a little more comfortable. Are you still breastfeeding, Bella?"

"Yes," I answered.

"Good. He may want to feed more than usual, and that's perfectly normal. He'll probably also want you exclusively, just so you're warned."

"Is there anything more I can do for him? That really doesn't seem like much."

"Just do whatever you can to keep him comfortable. Dr. Johnson will see you first thing tomorrow to check out Charlie's ear. If his fever spikes in the night, take him to the emergency room, but I really think you won't have to worry about that. It sounds like a common cold with ear infection."

"Alright, well, thank you so much, Mrs. Elliot. I'm going to try to get him to eat and nap."

"That's the perfect thing for him, Bella," she assured me. "Give that beautiful baby and that hunky husband of yours kisses from me."

"I will," I chuckled.

I hung up the phone and set it back onto its base, and then walked across the hall with Charlie to look for his blanket. I found it resting on the side of his crib and grabbed that, along with his giraffe and brought it all back into my room.

After stacking up a few pillows, I sat down on the bed and moved Charlie so that he was snuggled in my arms. He started crying harder and my heart went out to the little man. "It's okay, baby. Mommy just wants you to try to eat."

The whole time Charlie fed, he kept trying to tug at his little ear and I had to keep moving his hand away. I finally got him to grab onto his giraffe instead and not long after that, he fell asleep. I moved him so he was resting more comfortably on my chest and wrapped his little blanket around him.

Esme came into the room quietly and smiled at the sight of Charlie sleeping. "How is he?"

"Fever and possible earache. Dr. Johnson is squeezing us in tomorrow morning. Did Rose and Lily leave?"

"Yes, they just did," Esme replied, climbing in to the bed next to me. She tucked Charlie's blanket over his foot better and smiled at my baby. "His first cold. Are you worried?"

"Not as much as I thought I would be. I feel guilty more than anything, like I'm not doing enough to make him feel better."

"I think you're doing an excellent job, Bella. If you weren't, he wouldn't be sleeping."

"It's too close to Thanksgiving for him to be under the weather," I sighed, running my fingers through his thin bronze hair. "I wanted his first holidays to be so special."

"They will be, Sweetheart. And it's only Monday afternoon. Charlie will be feeling much better by Thursday, you'll see."

I looked up at my mother-in-law, not sure of what answer I wanted to hear from her. "Esme, is this a sign that Edward and I should postpone our weekend?"

"No," she chuckled, hugging me against her. "It's just a normal part of parenthood. And with Charlie not feeling well, you need to eat more and prepare yourself for the extra feedings. What would you like for a snack?"

"A ham and cheese sandwich and some milk would be perfect."

"I'll be back soon with it," Esme said. She gave Charlie a little kiss and then left the room.

Charlie moved in his sleep, rubbing his little fist against his ear. I wrapped his arm in the blanket, trying to keep him from getting at his ear again. My poor little man whimpered a few times before finally relaxing again. I would probably need to take him down to Rose's room to keep him from having Edward awake all night long. Then again, Edward would probably never allow that.

I reached over and grabbed the remote, turning the television on low just to give me some noise in the room. There was no way in the world that I would leave Charlie alone in his crib while he was sick.

And thankfully, Edward was in complete agreement with me on that. From the moment he'd gotten home and heard Charlie was sick, he'd hardly left our little man's side. He'd been so sweet with Charlie, rubbing his back and trying to keep him soothed. He'd even demanded to be the one to give Charlie his bath.

The three of us were watching television together, with Charlie resting in the crook of Edward's arm. Poor little man didn't want to even hold his giraffe tonight. He just laid there under his blanket, looking tired.

"Edward, I should try feeding him again," I mentioned.

Edward looked down at Charlie and frowned a little; he obviously missed our little man's playfulness as much as I did. "Alright, but I'm taking him back the moment he's done."

"Yes, sir," I chuckled, moving a whimpering Charlie into my lap. "It's okay, baby. I know you're tired and icky, but you have to eat, too." Thankfully, he didn't fight me nearly as much as he had earlier and seemed to actually be eating just a little better.

"I really don't like him being sick," Edward sighed, holding Charlie's hand. Normally, Charlie would have his little fist wrapped tightly around Edward's finger, but he wasn't feeling up to it tonight. "Is he eating any better?"

"I thought so at first, but now I don't know. He keeps stopping. Then again, his little nose is all stopped up. We're going to have to clear it out for him."

Edward grimaced. "I hated watching Rose have to do that to Lily. It looks so barbaric."

"I know, but it'll make him feel better."

Edward and I talked in low voices while Charlie fed. He drank about half of what he normally would have before refusing to drink any more. Hopefully, he'd get hungry in the next couple of hours and want to feed again.

With Charlie fed, we decided to try and clear out his nose. By the time we had our little man breathing better and his temperature checked, he was so mad at us that his little face was red. I walked around the room with him, rocking him in my arms and singing softly to him—he wasn't having it, though.

"Edward, I think you better take a turn," I sighed, trying once again to dry Charlie's face up a little.

Edward took Charlie and set him against his shoulder, bouncing him lightly while rubbing his back in a big circle. That velvet voice I loved so much filled the room as he hummed my lullaby to the baby and after a few minutes, Charlie started to calm down. I pulled his blanket from the bed and put it around him the best I could while trying not to disrupt the calm Edward was creating.

Esme came into the room just as Charlie dozed off in Edward's arms. "Is everything okay?" she whispered. "I heard him crying, but I was in the middle of a bath."

"He's fine. We just upset him by trying to clear his nose out a little," I explained.

"Edward always hated that part, too," Esme said, smiling at her son. "The two of you should go downstairs and eat something, especially you, Bella. I'll stay with Charlie until you come back."

I lay down in the bed and Edward set Charlie on my chest, covering us both with the blanket. "Thank you, Esme, but I really don't want to leave him," I told her.

"Then I'll bring you something up," Edward said. "What would you like?"

"Anything is good. And chocolate ice cream will make it all the better."

"Alright," Edward chuckled. He leaned down and kissed my forehead tenderly. "I'll be right back."

"And I'll be down in my room if you need me," Esme added.

"Thanks, Esme. I'll definitely come to you if I have any questions," I assured her.

They left the room and I looked down at my sick baby, wishing I could take this cold away from him. At least he was breathing better now, even after all of the crying he'd done.

From that point on, we woke up every couple of hours with Charlie. He would alternate between being a little hungry and just wanting to be rocked. I tried to get Edward to let me handle it all, but he was just as worried about Charlie as I was and wouldn't hear of it.

The only thing that seemed to help Charlie at all was hearing our voices, so we took turns talking to him and reading to him. Finally, around four in the morning, Charlie fell into a deep sleep…right along with Edward. I took the book he'd been reading to our baby and laid it on the couch before covering up my boys. And then I just sat on the sofa for awhile, watching over them and feeling very blessed to have them both.

There was still a hint of sadness in my heart that I'd never repeat these moments again, but I was done with the grieving for it. Right now, I had all that I needed and if we ever did decide to expand our family, there would be other ways. I wanted to focus on being thankful that I was physically well and almost completely mentally healed, and that the only major thing left to fix was my marriage.

So much had happened in such a short time to change us both. Edward could barely stand to let me out of his sight, fearing I'd never come back. That was no way for him to live and I had to find a way to get him past that fear. And for myself…I knew that I was still physically attracted to Edward, but what about him to me? And even if that hadn't changed, how much of my body had? Would I feel the same things? Would I enjoy making love to my husband as much as I used to? How much was really broken? And could we overcome and accept whatever was broken?

I used to marvel at the way the littlest choice I made could have such big effects on my life, like the ripples from a small pebble thrown into a huge lake. And then I'd spent the last four months questioning how the little moments beyond my control were shaping everything, making me feel like I'd lost more than just parts of my body—that I'd lost control over my own life. But tonight, I seemed to be having an epiphany of sorts…Life wasn't just composed of the choices we made, but also of the random moments that happened to us. Finding a way to incorporate that randomness with your choices was the only way to keep going forward, to keep on the path to the life you really wanted. So just because something had happened to me, I wouldn't let it derail me from my goal…to be the best wife and mother to Edward and Charlie because they deserved nothing less.

As much as I hated thinking about all of this, it was still easier to deal with those questions than to let my mind turn to Charlie. I was doing great with keeping myself from overreacting to his cold, but it was only because I was doing all I could to focus my mind on other things. I knew in my heart that it was just a cold and that he would be fine, but in my head, every thing that could go wrong kept trying to cut in and get acknowledged. So I just focused on the beautiful sight before me…my little man sleeping peacefully on his daddy's chest with his daddy's arm securing him in place and keeping him safe.

Edward woke me just as the sun was starting to fill up our room. "Bella, love, I'm sorry to wake you, but Charlie's hungry and won't take his bottle."

"No, it's fine," I yawned, getting a quick stretch in before taking my little man into my arms. "How does he seem?"

"About the same," Edward said, sitting down next to me. "I'm going to call in to work as soon as the office staff gets in."

"No, you aren't," I argued. "It's just a cold and there's no reason for you to miss work. I'm completely capable of taking our son to the doctor on my own."

"I know you are, and I didn't mean to imply anything less. I just don't like him being sick."

"Babies get sick, Edward. Kids in general get sick at least a couple of times a year. Let's just be thankful it's a small cold and not overreact or over-worry. Okay?"

Edward reached out and removed Charlie's hand from his little ear. "I hope he won't get an ear infection every time he gets a cold."

"So do I," I replied.

Edward spent as much time as he could with Charlie and me that morning before finally getting up and getting himself dressed for work. He'd finally given in and admitted I was right about him going to work, but only after I'd promised to call the second I'd spoken to the doctor.

And I kept my promise, calling Edward right after and letting him know that Charlie had an infection in his left ear and a head cold. The doctor had prescribed an antibiotic and an eardrop, and he'd even given Charlie a shot to help him start healing faster; I'd hated the shot more than Charlie had.

But that shot, along with the medicine, was returning my baby back to his normal self so I couldn't hate it too much. By the time Thursday arrived, Charlie was only slightly sniffling and he'd completely stopped tugging at his ear. He still didn't want his bottle—just his mom—and he was still sleeping more than usual, but he also had more color and a better appetite.

"Your very first Thanksgiving, little man," I cooed as I got Charlie dressed and ready for the big day ahead.

"It's a shame he's too young to get to enjoy the meal," Edward said. He was lying on the bed next to Charlie, the two of them tugging on a toy together. It was the first time Charlie had felt up to playing in days and I was extremely happy to see it.

"Thanksgiving isn't about the turkey, Edward. It's about spending a day with your family and just being thankful that you're all together. And I know it's something we should do every day, all year long, but with everyone working and having their own kids now, time together has been pretty scarce."

"It'll get easier once we're all adjusted. You and I finally seem to have gotten a pretty good routine going with Charlie."

"Yeah, it only took us four months. And since the twins are nearly seven weeks old, that means Alice and Jasper have about another two months or so before they find a groove. If it works the same for twins."

"With Alice's level of commitment and excitement to everything she does, I'm sure she'll have it all figured out by then."

"How does he look?" I asked, standing Charlie up on the bed.

"Like the little man he is," Edward chuckled. "Let me grab the camera."

Carlisle had decided that since we'd never been able to give Charlie his welcoming party, we would just incorporate it into today, along with welcoming Elizabeth and Brandon. Part of me wished I could have been well enough to have done this earlier, but a bigger part thought it was better this way. Not that Thanksgiving with my family wasn't already special enough, but we did have a ton of things to be thankful for this year.

"Smile, Bella," Edward called out as he pointed the camera at Charlie and me.

"No, take his picture, not mine," I laughed.

The camera clicked and then Edward stood up with a big smile on his face. "I took one of the both of you."

"Well, then it's my turn, Tutor-boy. Hand over the camera," I demanded.

"Sure," Edward chuckled. He passed me the camera and then lifted Charlie up into his arms. "How do I look, Charlie? Personally, I think the tie is a bit much, but since your mother is making you wear one, I thought I'd show my little man some solidarity."

"Solidarity, huh?" I laughed. "I'm sure that within an hour, you'll have lost both of your jackets and the ties."

"You know me so well," Edward replied, giving me my favorite smile. I quickly hit the camera button, getting a great shot of Edward smiling crookedly with Charlie looking right up at him and smiling right along. This Thanksgiving Day was definitely starting out the right way. I had my husband and my son with me, and my little boy was feeling so much better, even smiling again. And once we joined the rest of our family, I was sure the day would be absolutely perfect.

* * *

I hope you guys liked this chapter as much as I did. Tomorrow's chapter will cover the rest of Thanksgiving and next weekend's chapters will be all about Edward and Bella's big weekend! I know you guys are excited for that.


	48. Thanksgiving

**DISCLAIMER:** The characters do not belong to me…they are all the creation of the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. All are human.

**Thanksgiving**

**Bella's POV**

After getting my son back into my arms and passing the camera to Edward, we headed downstairs and were immediately greeted by the rest of our family.

Lily ran up to Edward and he scooped her up, giving her a big kiss and making her laugh. "Hello, Lily Bear," he greeted her.

She just smiled and wrapped her tiny arms around his neck, hugging him tightly.

"Hand him over," Emmett demanded, waving his big paws at me. "Let me have my nephew."

"He's still not feeling completely well, so don't take it too personally if he starts crying," I explained, passing Charlie to my big brother.

"He's not going to cry," Emmett assured me. "He knows he's in good hands."

"Yeah, he is," I agreed, smiling at my brother. Emmett looked for a second like he might actually cry and then he pushed that away, giving me his big goofy grin and pulling me into a hug.

"Alice, you look awfully well rested for being the mother of twins," Edward teased as he leaned down and kissed his sister's cheek.

"My babies aren't night owls," Alice chirped. She had a sleeping Elizabeth in her arms while Jasper was holding a very alert Brandon in his.

"Babies," Lily giggled from her spot in Edward's arms.

"Can you say 'Elizabeth'?" Alice asked Lily. "E-liz-a-beth?"

"Libbybet," Lily replied.

"No, Sweetheart. It's 'Elizabeth'," Alice corrected.

"Libbybet," Lily repeated, looking a bit offended that Alice was trying to correct her.

"What about 'Lizzy'? Can you say that?" Alice asked.

"Libby," Lily said confidently.

"Fine," Alice chuckled. "And 'Brandon'? Can you say 'Brandon'? Uncle Jasper is holding him."

"Brandon," Lily said perfectly.

"She's been working on her 'd's' this week," Rose explained. "Lily, who's holding you?"

"Edward!" Lily shouted happily.

"Very good," Rose cheered, clapping for her daughter. "And who loves Uncle Edward?"

"Me," Lily replied, pointing at herself.

"Who else?" Rose chuckled.

"Bella," Lily shouted, pointing at me.

"Look at how well she's talking!" I squealed, stealing Lily from Edward and covering her face in kisses.

"We've really been practicing her speech together," Rose said. "She's still having trouble with words that are more than a few syllables long and certain letters of the alphabet, but she's doing great otherwise. She's even got a few complete sentences. Lily, tell Aunt Bella who you love?"

Lily giggled and put her hands over her mouth, shaking her curly head.

"Oh, come on, Lily Bear," I pleaded, pulling her hands down. "Tell me who you love?"

"Lily love Momma and Daddy," Lily said.

"She hasn't figured out how to swap 'I' for 'Lily' yet, but we're getting there," Rose said.

"Libby wake up," Lily announced, pointing at her baby cousin.

We all turned to look and sure enough, Elizabeth was wide awake, looking all around her with her big blue eyes; both of the babies seemed like they would have Jasper's blue eyes. Elizabeth had Jasper's blonde hair and some parts even looked like they would curl once it grew out. Brandon had Alice's deep black color mixed in with the unruliness that the Cullen males tended to have.

"Well, while all of the children are awake and in good moods, lets step into the dining room and finally have our little welcoming tradition," Carlisle urged. "And then the babies can be put into much more comfortable clothing for the rest of the day."

"What about the rest of us?" Emmett asked, tugging at his tie.

"Ties can go, but shirts and pants stay buttoned until at least after dinner," Esme told him.

"Sounds fair to me," Emmett chuckled as we all took up seats around the big table.

Carlisle looked around the room a couple of times before speaking. "It's been an amazing journey to get to this day. I've watched you all grow up together in the last six years and I've truly come to feel like a father to each of you, though I would never attempt to replace your true parents' in your hearts and memories. I'm just thankful to have been able to be here for you since they could not."

"Dear, you're just starting and you already have Rosalie and Bella in tears," Esme scolded.

"I'm fine," Rose and I said at the same time, both of us laughing about it.

"We're happy to have you as our second set of parents," I assured them.

"And we're elated to have you all as our children. You've given us four wonderful grandchildren and we can't thank you enough for that," Carlisle replied. "And right now, I want to welcome our newest grandchildren."

"He's talking about you," Emmett said to Charlie, bouncing him in his arms a little.

Carlisle smiled at Emmett and Charlie. "Charles Edward Cullen, you've been blessed with a strong name and strong parents. No matter where your life takes you or what kind of trouble you find along the way, your mother and father will always be there for you, to help you, just as they have been at each other's side. They will love you, dote on you, and if you need it, they will spank your bottom and put you in time out. Although, I have a strong suspicion that your mother will be the disciplinarian," Carlisle chuckled, winking at me. "But no matter what, you will always be loved, and you will always be a valued member of this family. My wish for you is to one day be as blessed with love and family as we are right now."

Esme took Carlisle's hand and smiled sweetly at him before turning her head to look at Charlie. "For you, my first grandson, I wish you the gift of patience. It is something we all lack at times, and I know many parts of my own life would have been easier had I had more of it. May you possess it, wield it, and share it wisely."

"Emmett, since you're holding our special little man, why don't you go next?" Carlisle suggested.

Emmett turned Charlie so that the two of them were looking right at each other. "I wish you athletic ability in whatever sport you choose to play. But between me and you, kid, football is the only real sport of men."

"Emmett," I scolded, trying not to laugh.

"What? That was a good wish," he argued, passing Charlie to me. "You do a better job then."

I looked down at my son and couldn't stop the tears that formed in my eyes. I'd known from the moment I'd heard his first cry what I would wish for him. "Charlie, my wish is that you never know the pain of losing your parents early in life. I want you to grow up, get married, and have your own children long before you ever have to say goodbye to your daddy or me. I promise you that as much as it will hurt at that point, it won't be anything near to how painful it is to be young and be without them."

"Excellent wish, love," Edward whispered into my ear as he hugged me. And then he raised his voice for everyone else to hear him. "Charlie, I wish for you to find a love as real as the one I have with your mother. I want you to find the person who fits you, who lifts you up, and who opens your heart."

"My turn," Alice chirped. I expected her to say something about my little man's hair, or clothes, or just something else in jest, but instead, she happily surprised me with her words. "Charlie, my wish for you is that your parents' wishes for you come true."

"Thank you, Alice," I said, reaching across Edward and taking her hand in mine.

"Love you, Bells," she sniffled.

"I love you, too."

"Jasper," Carlisle said with a nod.

"I'm going to have to go with my wife on this one," Jasper replied with a smile. "Charlie, I wish for your parents' wishes to come true."

"The same for me," Rosalie croaked. She was crying nearly as much as I was. "In fact, I wish I would have thought to make that wish for Lily."

"You don't need it," Jasper assured her. "You aren't going anywhere, Rosalie. Not until the both of us are old and wrinkled and have seen our grandkids have kids."

"Welcome to the family, Charlie," Carlisle said softly as he kissed my little man. He stood up straight and started smiling at Alice and Jasper. "Since these two very special family members came into the world together, I think it only fitting that they be welcomed together. Esme, if you will."

Esme stood up and smiled. "I asked Carlisle to let me have this one. Alice, when you were born and we made our wishes for you, I wished for you to never know the pain of losing a baby. And when you were having trouble getting pregnant, I started to worry that my wish wasn't specific enough—that maybe by wishing you wouldn't know that pain, I'd accidentally wished away the joy as well. But you proved that as lovely as it is to wish and hope, determination can often play a bigger role in how things turn out. Not only do you know the joy of childbirth, but you have two beautiful babies to show for it. My wish for each of your children is that they get their mother's determination and willpower so that they may accomplish every dream they ever have."

"Thank you," Alice sniffled, smiling at her mom. "And you worry too much," she added, laughing a little.

"Elizabeth and Brandon, I wish for you to have your mother's exuberance and cheery attitude thoroughly mixed in with your father's calm and patience," Carlisle said, winking at Alice.

"Thoroughly, Dad?" Alice snorted. "Did you really need to throw that in there like that?"

"Yes," Jasper replied before Carlisle could. "Yes, he did."

Edward spoke next, squeezing my hand the whole time. "Elizabeth and Brandon, the wish I have for you comes from Bella, Charlie, and myself, and it's for you both to have long and happy lives with Alice and Jasper at your sides."

"Damn, I was going to use that one," Emmett sighed, shaking his head. "Oh, well. I have another. Elizabeth, my wish is that you wait until you're much, much, much older and then find a guy that loves you for you. Jasper, Edward, and I aren't going to be so good at letting Lily and you out of sight, especially when a boy is involved. We were boys and we know how they think, so there you go."

"Emmett," Alice chuckled. "You're already planning how to scare boys away?"

"Hell yeah," he replied seriously. "Now for Brandon…I wish for you to grow up and be just like your dad because he's a great man and my best friend, and you could never do better."

"Thank you," Jasper said, nodding his head toward Emmett.

"Yeah, well, that better be the last serious moment any of you expect from me for the rest of the year," Emmett grumbled, folding his arms in front of him.

Rosalie reached over and grabbed Jasper's hand on top of the table. "I love you."

"I love you, too," Jasper chuckled. "What was that for?"

"Just because," she shrugged. And then she looked at Brandon and Elizabeth. "My wish for each of you is that you can understand and appreciate just how special this family really is. It's not a family of bloodlines, but a family of choice. We all needed something from each other in the beginning, but we quickly turned that into so much more, _wanting_ to be a family together more than we ever needed anything individually. We may get busy from time to time and not be able to get together like we are right now, but that doesn't change how much we love each other or how strongly we're bonded to each other. We will always be the Swahallen family, as your Uncle Emmett says. And I want for you both to know exactly what that means and appreciate it fully. You're two very lucky children to be born into it."

"And we're all lucky to have been chosen to belong to it," I added.

"Whether we were born a Swan, a Hale, or a Cullen, we now belong to the Cullen family, and always will," Carlisle said, looking around at all of us. "We are thankful for each other, and for the ones who are no longer with us, except in our hearts. No matter where life takes any of us from this moment forward, we will always belong to each other and we will always be family. My final wish for today is for all of us to always remember that."

**Edward's POV**

My father's words brought tears to the eyes of our wives, along with big, happy smiles. Bella seemed a bit more emotional than normal, but as long as she had such a beautiful smile on her face, I wasn't going to worry. Today was a day for thanks and each member of this family had something to be extra thankful for this year.

"Thank you for the welcoming, Carlisle," Jasper said, shaking his hand and then giving him a hug. "It was beautiful and a tradition definitely worth passing down to our newest generation of Cullens."

"Speaking of them, let's take them up and get them out of these clothes so they can be more comfortable," Rose said as she lifted up Lily. "You want to put on your play clothes and maybe go outside for a bit?"

"Swing, Momma!" Lily cried, pointing out of the window and toward the backyard.

"We can certainly do that," Rose promised her.

"We'll be back," Bella said as she stood with Charlie. "Want to hand me your tie and I'll drop it off in our room?"

"Thanks, Love," I said, smiling as I quickly yanked the tie off and handed it to her.

My mother had Brandon in her arms while Alice still held Elizabeth and they followed Rose and Bella out of the dining room, all of them discussing what had been said during the welcoming.

"So does this mean we're clear to turn on the football games and grab some beers?" Emmett asked, rubbing his hands together and grinning.

"You can have a beer if you like," my father told him. "I think I'm going to have something a bit stronger, though. It's been one hell of a year for us all and I plan to toast it properly."

"What'd you have in mind?" Emmett asked as he followed my father into the kitchen.

Jasper took Bella's empty seat and kept his voice low as he spoke. "Did you make plans for this weekend?"

"Yeah," I replied with a grin. "That hotel Carlisle recommended had a spa suite available and I booked it. We'll be leaving tomorrow afternoon. I also have reservations for dinner at a romantic restaurant near the hotel."

"I know how much Bella loves sunsets and I was talking to one of my co-workers. He owns a small yacht in the bay and he's offered for Alice and me to use it before. So I asked him if I could extend that invitation to you and he said he had no problem with it. He just said to clean up and lock up when you're done," Jasper explained, handing me a small keychain. "You can take her right out into the middle of the bay to see the sun go down."

"Thanks, Jazz. She'll love that," I said, shaking his hand. "Let me know what I can do for you in return."

"Oh, don't you worry. As soon as Alice is ready for it, I'll be calling in a babysitting favor."

"And I'll gladly deliver."

"Lookie what I have," Emmett said, strolling in from the kitchen with a tray in his hands. "Chips, dip, and Long Island Ice Teas all around."

"Those of you who will be driving cars tonight—Emmett and Jasper—only get one glass," my father warned as Emmett passed out the drinks.

"Time for football, boys," Emmett said loudly as he led the way into the living room.

It didn't take us long to get absorbed in the game and start bickering with the television and each other. It was all in good fun, though. The moment was a little odd for me, seeming as though nothing at all had changed in our lives, and knowing that my son was right upstairs with Bella, along with Lily, Brandon, and Elizabeth.

Bella's voice cut through my thoughts and I turned to see her coming down the stairs with the rest of the women in our family. "He's four months old, Alice. Charlie does not care about fashion. All my little man wants is to be comfy and not be sick anymore. Besides, this is called a sleep and play outfit for a reason."

"Still looks like pajamas to me," Alice chirped.

"It's not like he's going outside," Bella replied. "Not until he's completely well," she cooed, kissing Charlie's forehead. "No cold air for my little man."

"Jazzy," Alice said sweetly as she walked up to him. "If we put the babies in their swings, will you keep an eye and ear on them so I can go out back with Rose and Lily?"

"Of course," Jasper replied immediately. "Do you want me to do anything else for them?"

"Nope. They've just been changed and shouldn't be hungry for another hour at least. If their swings stop, just restart them."

"I can handle that," he assured her. "Have fun out there," he said as Alice, Rose, and Lily left for the backyard.

"I'll be in the kitchen putting the finishing touches on our dinner," my mother announced.

"Hey, Esme, don't forget that I'm official taste tester this year," Emmet called out.

"Emmett, that's been your role every year since you started coming into my home," she chuckled, leaning down and kissing his cheek. "The job is forever yours."

"Sweet!" he replied, showing off his big goofy grin.

"Edward, do you feel up to watching Charlie?" Bella asked. "I'd really like to go help Esme in the kitchen."

"Give him here, Bells," Emmett demanded, waving one of his hands at her. "Little man needs some bonding time with just the men folk anyway."

"You watch your mouth around my baby, Emmett Swan, or there will be h-e-l-l to pay for you later," Bella warned as she passed Charlie to him.

"What's that spell?" Emmett asked, smiling wide at Bella.

She poked her tongue out at him before laughing and walking off.

"Man, its good to have her smiling and being a pain," Emmett said, looking off toward the kitchen area.

"Yes, it is," I agreed.

Charlie started to whimper and I immediately moved to take him, but Emmett waved me off. "I've got him," he said as he turned Charlie around so they were looking at each other. "What's up, little man? You ready to play some football for me?"

"He's four months old, Emmett," Jasper chuckled. "The football is probably nearly as big as his whole body."

"Charlie's not scared," Emmett replied. "He's got too much Swan in him to be intimidated."

"And what does his Cullen side have?" I asked, knowing I would probably regret it.

"Messy hair," Emmett chuckled. "No seriously, Edward. I think he's got your calmness and patience. I've never seen the little dude upset," he said as he settled Charlie onto his lap.

"Well, you weren't here when we had to take his temperature or clear out his nose," I told him.

"Yeah, but Charlie's a trooper. Aren't you, buddy? Just like the grandpa you're named after," Emmett said, talking more to the baby than us. "Thanksgiving was my dad's favorite holiday. And not just because he got to eat turkey, drink beer, and watch football. He loved that no matter what was going on, everybody stopped and went home for one day of togetherness. Heck, he loved the holiday so much, he would even put up with my great uncle Aro coming over. Bella used to say he smelled like the mummies in the museum, and if you didn't see him move for a bit, you'd swear he could be one of them. But he wasn't all bad. Used to slip me fifty bucks every time he saw me just for being his favorite nephew."

"Yeah, it's a shame how some folks get senile with old age," Jasper teased, bumping Emmett's shoulder with his own.

Charlie started to whimper again, his face getting a little red from his frustration. This time, I did take him from Emmett. Charlie smiled as soon as he was in my arms and his head went right for my shoulder. I started rubbing his back in the way that he liked and he was calm in seconds.

I'd expected that we would only get to watch a little of the football games with four young children in the house, but the women we were married to were absolute angels and they all worked together to make sure we could watch the games.

Our Thanksgiving dinner was a lot louder than I ever remembered it from previous years, but I wouldn't have changed a second of it. Lily had been perched in her high chair between Emmett and Rose, yelling out "gobble, gobble" between each bite she took. Charlie had stayed perched in Bella's lap, trying to grab her arm and get at the food on her fork. She'd finally gave in, putting a tiny taste of mashed potato on his tongue. He had been all smiles as he smacked his gums together, enjoying his first bite of solid food. We couldn't help but laugh at the face he was making. Elizabeth and Brandon had somehow managed to nap through the entire thing, allowing Alice and Jasper to have an uninterrupted meal with all of us.

It had been all the things a Cullen family gathering should be and I couldn't wait for the Christmas holidays to arrive. The custom house had finally been finished days before and I was just waiting for the best time to show it to Bella—I was pretty sure I could get away with it at Christmas time. And I honestly couldn't wait to spoil Charlie and watch him open his gifts in front of the tree. With any luck, New Years would be spent in our new home, with our family there to check out the new house and welcome in another year of being a family.

I checked on my sleeping son one last time before returning to Bella, who was also deeply asleep. It was nearly midnight and the house seemed oddly quiet after today's festivities. I had grown up in this house, starting out on the second floor and then moving up here to the third floor for my fourteenth birthday. I'd spent many hours out in the backyard, walking through the trees and finding the best places to hide from Alice. And I'd already shared a ton of memories here with Bella. I would certainly miss this place once we moved, but it was time. My parents had raised their children and deserved to get to be true grandparents, only being responsible for their grandchildren when they felt up to it. And Bella certainly deserved a home of her own, a place that she could decorate and setup to suit her style. It was certainly going to be the most interesting Cullen Christmas, if not the best yet.

* * *

So I hope everyone enjoyed Thanksgiving. I know I want to be there with them, damn lucky folks. LOL

So I've put up a poll on my profile page to give you lovely readers the power to decide when you read Edward and Bella's weekend chapters. I know we are all going to be busy next weeken with our new Twilight DVDs, so here are your options with the chapters:

1) I can post the chapters later tonight. I will keep the poll open for the next eight hours, which will make it about seven my time tonight.

2) I can post the chapters together next Saturday.

I was going to do my usual Saturday-Sunday post, but decided you guys would not find it cute to get cut off before the action started. LOL And speaking of the action, because this is OLM and I want to keep it inline with LLC, the action is more glossed over than descriped. SO! For all the adult readers who have been chomping at the bit for Sexy Edward, there will be a separate one-shot for you guys. I'll post that at the same time as the two OLM chapters.


	49. Reconnecting Part1

**WOW!!! ** 136 Yes to 20 No. You guys really are excited for these chapters. So! As promised, I'll post the two OLM chapters here and then I'll post the separate adult reader one-shot that details their "special" time together.  


* * *

**DISCLAIMER:** The characters do not belong to me…they are all the creation of the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. All are human.

**Reconnecting – Part 1**

**Bella's POV**

"Edward, did we remember to remind Rose about giving Charlie his medicine?" I asked. "The doctor specifically said to make sure we gave him the antibiotics until they were all gone. And what about making sure she uses his blue bottle with the little dinosaurs at bedtime? I don't know how he can tell his bottles apart, but he knows and he only wants that one at bedtime or he gets fussy. And Raffe? Did we make sure he was in the diaper bag?"

"Yes to all of those," Edward said, laughing a little.

"Maybe I should call just to make sure," I suggested, not sure if I wanted him to agree or not. We were on our way to whatever surprise location Edward had picked out for us. I knew we were going to some sort of resort from the papers he'd accidentally left on the sofa, but I didn't want to peek too much and ruin the surprise of it all. And I was sure that if Edward picked it, it would be a fancy place with all the trimmings and I would love it. I just needed to figure how to be excited for the trip without missing my little man like crazy.

Edward sighed and glanced at me quickly. "Bella, he's only been away from us for twenty minutes and you're already anxious. Are you sure you want to do this now?"

"Yes, of course," I cried. "Edward, I want this weekend with you, just the two of us. And this right here is exactly why we need it. I have to learn to separate being Charlie's mother, being your wife, and being my own person. It was fine when all I was doing was focusing on healing and being there for Charlie, but I'm better now. I can do for myself and I want to start doing all of the things I used to do."

"As long as you're sure."

"I'm positive," I assured him, giving him a big smile. "So do I get any hints?" I asked, turning a little in my seat so that I could see his face.

"Ask a question and I'll think about answering it," Edward replied, giving me a quick smile before turning his attention back to the road.

"Um…is it an expensive place?"

"Define expensive."

"Would _I_ consider it expensive?"

"Probably," he chuckled.

"Are we going to have fun?"

"Absolutely," he replied, sounding very sure of himself.

"What will be doing?"

"Nope," Edward said, shaking his head. "That question is too open-ended. I'm not going to give the whole weekend away."

"Um…are we spending all of our time in the room?"

"Not going to answer that one either."

"Oh, come on! How would the answer to that question give too much away?"

He turned toward me briefly, but it was long enough to see that his green eyes were sparkling—maybe he really was as excited for this trip as everyone kept telling me. "Because it would," he said, a hint of laughter in his words.

"Edward, have I told you lately that you can be highly infuriating when you keep secrets this way?"

He laughed openly and grabbed my hand, lifting it up and kissing the back of it. "Isabella, have I told you that you're entirely too impatient sometimes and remind me very strongly of Alice?"

"Oh, that's just not true," I argued. "Alice is so much worse than I've ever been. I might ask lots of questions, but never the same one twice. We both know Alice would never move on from the first question until you answered it."

"Well, that all depends on how much she wanted the information. If she's only feigning interest, then she'll move on to the question she really wants answered."

"I'm so happy for Alice and Jasper," I said, forgetting all about the trip and thinking of my family. "They're such great parents already and it's easy to see how much they both love the twins. I can't wait for the babies' personalities to start developing so we can see who they'll take after."

"Yes, it should be very interesting to see how many mini-Alice's we have on our hands. But how about we talk about something other than our family and our son for a little while? I haven't heard anything about you personally in weeks."

"Me?" I chuckled. "What do you want to know about me? I live with you and you see me every day. Or did you think some other woman was sleeping in your bed at night and making your coffee in the mornings?"

"You know what I mean."

"I'll trade you. If I tell you, then you have to do the same."

"Alright, but I promise you'll be bored."

"Never," I laughed. "I'm the boring one."

"Of all the things I consider you and your mind, boring is never one of them. So stop stalling and talk."

"I'm getting there, Tutor-boy. You really should be so impatient, you know."

"Still stalling," he said, singing the words a little.

I started laughing and Edward cracked a smile. "Even if I am stalling, at least you're being entertained."

"Yes, I do have that to be thankful for."

"I guess I can talk now," I said, leaning my head against the back of my seat. "I'm feeling pretty happy almost all of the time now. I'm able to be excited for everything I'm doing with Charlie, and I've finally reconciled in my head that it doesn't matter if this is the only time I'm getting to do it because I _am_ getting to share these moments with him. I'm really excited for this weekend just because I get your attention all to myself and I can give that back to you. No interruptions or coded conversations, just you and me. I don't even care what we do so long as we're doing it together. Well, I take that back. You do have to take me out to dinner at least once. I have a new dress that I can't wait to wear for you."

"You went dress shopping for dinner with me?" Edward asked, looking shocked.

I found myself biting my bottom lip and just nodding my head, completely lost for words. It was a reaction straight out of the past, from the very beginning when Edward and I were trying to figure out how to let each other in. I wasn't sure if it was a good thing or a bad thing, but since Edward was smiling at me, I figured it didn't matter that much.

"That's what the big errand was that Rose and I had on Monday," I explained.

"I can't believe Alice let you go without her."

"Oh, she was involved through text messages and camera phone pictures," I informed him, getting him to laugh loudly.

"Well, then I guess it's a good thing I made dinner plans for tonight," he said, smiling at me.

"Perfect!" I chirped, shocking my own self with how excited I was to dress up. Edward was shocked too because he started laughing all over again. "Yes, I know I'm being weird."

"I like it, though," he said, squeezing my hand lightly. "You don't know how happy I am to see you excited and happy like this. For awhile there, I was worried I would never see you smile again."

"Edward, if I'd have thought for a second I couldn't pull myself out of my funk with your help, and Esme's help, then I would have gone to a counselor. There's no way I would have let myself just stay upset and depressed."

"I didn't mean to imply that you would, Bella. I'm just letting you know how I felt."

"Oh…Um…How else did you feel?" I asked. Getting him to talk about his own feelings in the past four months had not been something I'd been successful at accomplishing.

"There were a lot of things I felt, Bella. But that's all the past and I want to focus on our future."

"So do I, but I think we have to deal with the past to really enjoy that future. Just like I had to acknowledge what happened and every consequence of it, I think we should acknowledge everything you had to go through."

"We're not that far from the hotel, so why don't we save this for a later date? We're all alone until Sunday morning, so there's plenty of time."

"Fine, but I'm not going to forget."

"I know," he said, looking like he really wished I would.

We arrived at our destination not to long after and it definitely qualified as being Cullen expensive. Edward had booked us a spa suite at the Alexis Hotel in downtown Seattle, putting us close to Elliot Bay and Pike's Market. We would have a whole list of things to choose from if we decided to venture outside of the room—it just looked too comfortable and restful to ever leave it. It was as if they'd taken a day spa and fit it all into the room, making it just for Edward and me.

I didn't get to enjoy the room for too long, though. Edward had dinner reservations for us and we both needed to shower and dress. He wanted to be the gentleman and let me go first, but I wanted to keep the dress a surprise for just a little longer, so I made him go first.

And now I was trying to find a reason to stall as I stared at my reflection in the huge bathroom mirror. I was pretty sure I looked amazing with this gorgeous red dress, my hair neatly pulled back, and my make-up done…but I wasn't sure if it was enough to get a real reaction out of Edward. Everyone said he was just nervous, and I really wanted to believe that…But then why had he seemed like he'd wanted to avoid this weekend so much?

Maybe everyone was right and I was just reading into things. They'd said Edward had planned something, and here I was standing in the bathroom of the Alexis Hotel and that was definitely _something_. Maybe I was just projecting my own nerves onto Edward. Knowing me, that was entirely possible.

"Bella?" Edward called, knocking on the door. "I really hate to rush you, Love, but we do have reservations."

I took a deep breath as I walked toward the door and opened it. And I held that breath, waiting for Edward to say something to me. I wasn't sure what I'd been expecting to hear, but I knew it wasn't the words he actually said.

"Breathe, Bella," he instructed, taking my hands into his and leading me out of the bathroom. "You look exquisite, Love, and have no reason to worry."

There was a look in his emerald eyes that hadn't been there in so very long and the relief of seeing his desire for me washed through me so strongly that I actually stumbled a few steps before Edward righted me. "I guess a little of your clumsiness is still sticking with you," he chuckled.

"It's not my clumsiness that caused it. You were dazzling me."

"You really need to describe this dazzling thing to me, Bella. You accuse me of it so often, but I'm not sure what I'm doing."

"Yeah, right, Tutor-boy," I snorted. "I'm not about to fall for that one. I explain what you do, you figure out how to do it any old time you want, and then I never have a clear thought in my head again. No, thank you."

He laughed and leaned forward, pressing his lips to my forehead.

"That's it? No hug? No better kiss?" I asked, trying really hard not to feel hurt.

"I wouldn't want to wrinkle your dress or mess up your makeup. We really do have to leave if we want to make our reservations."

"I'll buy that excuse for now, Cullen, but just know that it's not going to hold out for the whole night."

"Maybe I'm just giving you a gentlemanly excuse for my behavior."

"What would the non-gentleman side of you say?" I asked, holding his hand and walking toward the elevators.

"That it's taking a lot of self-control to keep my hands to myself and away from my beautiful wife," he replied. He leaned in and his lips ghosted over my cheekbone before lightly pressing against the shell of my ear. "You have no idea just how hard you are to resist."

"You could not resist just a little," I said as we stepped into the elevator.

He laughed and shook his head at me. "You overestimate my self-control."

"I don't think so."

"You never do." He spun me so that I was no longer looking at him, but at my reflection in the elevator's mirrored walls. "You also never admit just how breathtaking you are. How could any man not be moved by your beauty?"

"I thought I was the one that read the romance books," I replied, watching his hands in the reflection as they skimmed down my arms and wrapped around my middle, drawing me backwards and into his stony embrace. He smiled at me, knowing I was watching his every move and then swooped down, playfully biting my neck. "You really are quite irresistible, Love."

"Does that mean you'd rather order room service?" I asked, hoping just a little that he'd say "yes". I didn't want to ruin his plans, but I was also more than ready for some very private time with my husband.

"No," he chuckled, standing up straight and letting go of me.

"Then I guess I'm not completely irresistible. I'll have to work on that with Rose and Alice."

"Go right ahead," Edward replied, trying not to laugh again.

The elevator doors opened and a man stepped back to let us off. "Good evening," he greeted, smiling at me.

"Evening," Edward said curtly, pulling me closer to him once again.

The guy glanced at Edward for a second, decided he was nothing to worry over, and then smiled at me again. "I'm in room 402 if you decide you'd like some company tonight."

"Thank you, but I think my husband is all the company I'll ever need," I said, raising my voice a little to be heard over Edward's growls. As soon as we were out of the lobby, I started laughing. "You should have heard yourself," I giggled. "You sounded just like Emmett did that time Rose got hit on at the football game. You even growled like him! Growling! What is with that? Do you and Emmett think you're actually part bear or something?"

"I'd like to rip that guy to pieces for staring at you that way," he mumbled, glancing back toward the hotel. "He had no right to look at you that way."

"What way?"

"He looked at you as if he was going to eat you."

"Didn't Mike the Fly accuse you of that very thing once?"

"There's a difference. I was, and still am, completely in love with you. My look might be a little possessive, but it's still loving and not…not meatly."

"Meatly?" I snorted. "You and Emmett would make great vampires. Moody, broody, and always ready for a fight. Or maybe you'd make better werewolves."

"Wolves smell."

"You know that from personal experience?"

"Werewolves are like oversized dogs and dogs always smell, so it stands to reason that werewolves would smell as well."

"Thank you, Tutor-boy, for breaking down the smell factor of werewolves and dogs for me. How would I have possibly survived without hearing that little spiel?"

"You started it with the vampire thing," he pointed out, his lips twitching from his suppressed smile. He'd always enjoyed my sarcasm for some strange reason.

"_You_ growled."

"Yeah," he chuckled. "I guess I did."

"You aren't planning to growl at every man that smiles my way tonight are you?"

"No, but if they get too close, I'll have to make sure they understand that you're mine."

"Oh, really? And how do you plan to do that?"

In a move so quick and fluid that I couldn't even register it, he spun me around, into his arms, and into a kiss so full of passion that my bones turned spongy and he had to help me stay standing. I wasn't sure if kissing me like this in public would actually keep guys away from me, but I was more than willing to test it out—strictly for research purposes of course. I squealed on the inside, so relieved and excited to see a spark of how things used to be between us.

At some point—I had no idea when—Edward has stopped kissing me. "Breathe, Bella," he said softly.

"Yeah," I sighed, not even having the sense to think of something more intelligent to say.

"Can you walk?" he chuckled, rubbing his thumb over my cheekbone.

I could only nod my head at him, my mind still hazy from that great kiss. I really hoped there were more of those in store for us later on tonight.

"Good. The restaurant isn't far and it's a beautiful afternoon, perfect for a walk," he said, letting me go, except for my hand.

And he was right. It was a beautiful afternoon, with an almost cloudless sky above, painted in the blues and purples of an approaching sunset. The downtown area was busy and noisy, but I barely took notice, too lost in being with Edward to worry about anything else.

Okay, so I won't lie—Charlie was on my mind, but I wasn't worried about him at all. I knew Emmett would never let anything happen to my little man; he would look after my son just as he'd looked after me. There was nothing to worry about and I could just relax and enjoy a weekend with my husband. I didn't want to waste a second of this time with Edward, and I was determined that when we finally did leave for home, we would both feel reconnected to each other in every way possible. We both deserved that.

**Edward's POV**

Bella looked so beautiful tonight. No, beautiful wasn't even the right adjective for it. She was stunning, gorgeous, exquisite—and very much all mine. She was also happy, which was the most important thing to me. She was more like her old self every single day and I enjoyed getting to have my Bella back. She would never be exactly as she had been with all that had happened, but then again, I was forever changed as well. The only thing that mattered was whether or not we could love the new versions of each other as much as we had the old.

For me, it was an easy thing to do since this version of Bella was so close to the original. She didn't laugh quite as easily, and she wasn't as sarcastic or stubborn as she had been before, but she was just as loving and selfless as she always had been. And I still felt like I could tell her almost anything and she'd understand. The few things I wasn't sure about probably had more to do with my own biased view than how Bella would actually react, but some things were better left in the dark corners of my heart. It was a lot less painful to lock them away than to try and look at them.

Bella's soft voice immediately pulled me out of my thoughts. "Edward, I'd forgotten how lovely the downtown area can be at the right time of day."

"Would you like to know one of our activities?" I asked, smiling down at her.

"Like you even need to ask," she said. Her brown eyes were full of excitement as she peered up at me with her ruby lips pulled back in a wide grin.

"Tomorrow, right about this time, we'll be watching the sunset from Elliot Bay."

"How on Earth are you going to pull _that_ off?" she asked as her eyes widened.

"I never said I would give away all of the details," I replied. I knew I was smirking, but I couldn't help myself. I loved seeing her so excited, and so open with her feelings. It was something that used to be normal for us, but had been missing for the last year.

A year…That realization struck me hard and it took a second for my heart to restart itself. When we'd first found out about the pregnancy, we'd just assumed life would be in an uproar for nine months and then the baby would come and life would go back to the way it had been. We'd been so wrong for so many reasons. Not that I would ever want to go back because I loved my son with all of my heart and I knew Bella felt the exact same way. I just wondered if Bella and I could find a way to reconnect and be more to each other than just Charlie's parents.

Luckily for me, my mind didn't get a chance to revisit any of the dark paths it had been stalking down lately since we'd arrived at the restaurant so quickly. It was an upscale Italian restaurant called Troiani, and it was only two blocks away from our hotel. It looked as though many couples had come here tonight, wanting to enjoy the romantic atmosphere of the place, and I hoped Bella would enjoy this selection.

I'd specifically asked for a window table, knowing Bella's love for people-watching had been on hiatus for a very long time. It was easy to see she loved it from the way her whole face lit up—that and the fact that she immediately started guessing where the people passing by the restaurant were headed off to for the night.

"Look at those two," Bella whispered, carefully using her napkin to point at a well-dressed couple passing just a few feet away. "They're spies on a mission."

"Really?" I questioned, trying very hard not to laugh.

"Oh, yes."

"Love, I think you've had enough wine for tonight," I teased. She'd maybe taken four sips out of her glass the entire time.

"You obviously didn't see what I saw," she replied.

"And what did you see?"

"Well, he had an umbrella."

"Yes, that clearly screams spy to me."

"Edward, there's barely a cloud in the sky. The only reason to carry an umbrella on a day like today is because you're a spy and it makes a handy weapon. You lift it up, conk a guy on the head, and boom, he's on the floor and out cold for you to do your spy stuff."

"Emmett has clearly rubbed off on you a little too much."

"And is that your explanation for her as well?"

"Her who?"

"The female spy," Bella said, looking a little exasperated with me. "She had a scarf over her head and huge, dark sunglasses on. It's too late in the afternoon to need sunglasses and the day isn't windy enough to call for a scarf, so she was clearly trying to disguise her face."

"If she's a spy, why doesn't she just wear a wig and contacts?"

"Everyone wears a wig and contacts these days and facial recognition software can ignore those and get a good match. The scarf and sunglasses hide enough of your features so that the software is rendered useless."

I bit down on my tongue a little, trying to make the urge to laugh go away. If I started, I wouldn't be able to stop and I would be too loud for this restaurant. Bella just shrugged at me and started nibbling at her food.

With a deep breath, I felt in control enough to attempt a question. "Bella, what have you been watching while Charlie naps?"

"Nothing. I usually do our laundry then. But I was reading one of Carlisle's spy books a few weeks ago. Anyway, I was thinking that it would be really neat to take a family vacation when Charlie's a little older. Em and I did the camping thing with our parents, but we never actually did a real big vacation. I think that's something I'd like to do with Charlie."

"What brought that thought on?" I asked, always curious to figure out how my wife's mind worked.

"Tourists just passed by."

"And you know they were tourists because?"

"He had a camera around his neck, she had a fanny pack on her waist, and the two kids were fighting over a map."

"It's amazing how much you observe in just a few seconds."

"You always have told me I was _much too observant_," she said, doing a really bad imitation of my voice.

"You're completely absurd."

"Another thing you enjoy telling me."

"I also tell you that you're beautiful, lovely, and irresistible, but you don't seem to believe those as easily."

Her cheeks flamed and she dropped her brown eyes from my face, staring down at the tablecloth instead.

"I thought you wanted to know if I still found you desirable, but when I tell you, you get shy on me."

She quickly lifted her eyes at my words. "Who told you that?"

"Just a couple of birds looking to help."

Bella sighed heavily and nodded her head, as if she was accepting something in that head of hers.

"What are you thinking?"

"That you and I have both been so focused on what has changed that we haven't been able to really accept the few things that haven't. I still love you with all of my heart and want to be with you every second of my life. I'm pretty sure you still feel the same way about me."

"I do," I promised her. "I love you, Isabella. I'm still just as thrilled to have you as my wife today as I have ever been."

"So if we still love each other that much, then can't we be reasonably certain that any changes to our personalities, our viewpoints, and what we consider to be important won't have any bearing on our ability to still be best friends and make our marriage work?"

"Are you worried something's wrong with our marriage?" I asked, feeling a little stunned, both at Bella opening up so willingly and at her actual words.

"I honestly don't know, Edward. You've been focused on being my caregiver, while I've been focused on being Charlie's mother, and I think somewhere in there, we forgot that we were just supposed to be Edward and Bella. I would love to think our marriage hasn't been affected by all of this, but I think that would be foolish of me. If we've both changed as people, doesn't that automatically mean there needs to be an adjustment to the marriage as well?"

"Not if we both still want the same things. We've always had differing views on how to get there, and that's never really mattered because we've always wanted to get there together. Take your vacation idea for instance. I think it would be great if we went to the Grand Canyon together as a family, but I bet you have somewhere different in mind."

Bella smiled and that worried look faded just a little. "I do. I think we'd enjoy a trip to Italy."

"And if I were to say we should take a trip with the entire family, I bet you'd agree that we'd end up with plenty of stories just from having Emmett along."

"I would," she agreed, laughing a little. She reached across the table and put her small hand on mine. "I'm not worried so much about our marriage, at least not yet. I'm more worried that every time you look at me, you still see the version that I was when I first came home. I worry that you don't see I'm healthy now, and that I really am happy."

"Maybe I see it, but want it too much to just blindly believe it."

"So don't believe it blindly, then," she said, sitting back and smirking at me. "Enjoy the visual proof you have before you right now, and then we'll both enjoy the physical proof later on tonight."

I smiled at her, hoping she couldn't sense just how nervous I was about later. Bella seemed to expect that we would just easily pick up our physical relationship where it left off nearly six months ago, but I wasn't so sure it would be that easy—for either of us. Still, I would try for her.

* * *

Don't worry about Edward seeming a little hesitant still; it's just nerves. These are two people who haven't really had time to be alone together in six months and came very, very close to dealing with one of them dying. But it will all work out in the end b/c I write it that way! LOL


	50. Reconnecting Part2

**DISCLAIMER:** The characters do not belong to me…they are all the creation of the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. All are human.

**Reconnecting – Part 2 (Contains a Little E&B Loving)  
**

**Edward's POV**

Once dinner was over, we headed back out into the downtown streets, leisurely walking around. It was still quite early and there was no reason to be in a hurry to return to the hotel. As we strolled along under the night sky, catching the occasional glimpse of a star here or there, I felt like the weekend was off to a great start. We were talking, joking, and laughing together; Bella seemed very relaxed; and we were really enjoying each other's company. So if everything was going so well, why was my stomach dropping with every step that took us closer to the hotel?

I did want her. I'd barely kept myself from attacking her when she'd opened the bathroom door and revealed herself in that dress. It hugged every curve she had, showing off her amazing figure, and all I'd wanted to do was feel her skin against mine.

But I couldn't risk hurting her any further. I was just now getting her back and I'd missed her so much—I couldn't risk losing her again so soon. Not that I could ever tell her that. It wasn't her fault that this had happened to us and telling her would just end up with her feeling guilty for my feelings. My mother completely disagreed with me, of course. She said that Bella would understand. More than that, that she would _welcome_ knowing that was how I felt. But how could that be right?

Bella's voice put an end to my internal debating. "Are we going to go inside, or is this particular piece of sidewalk fascinating to you in some way that I'm missing?" she asked, glancing between me and the sidewalk in question.

"Sorry. Errant thought."

"Any chance you'll let it come this way so I can know what it was?"

"Probably not," I said honestly.

Bella smiled, but I recognized it instantly as a dangerous one and not a humorous one. "Honey, I promise you that if you continue trying to be the secretive Edward that you were when we first met, I'm going to kick your ass."

Any other man might have laughed, but I just nodded my head because I knew she was completely serious. That didn't mean I would give her the exact answer she wanted, but I would give one that would at least suffice for now.

She stopped smiling and just looked at me; it felt like her brown eyes were trying to decode me. "Edward, do you want to go home?" she asked. Her voice was soft, but firm and I knew she wanted a real answer.

If I said "yes", she would accept it and we would go home. She would be disappointed, but she would accept it, convincing herself that she was doing what any good wife would by putting my needs before her own.

If I said "no"…well, I didn't really know what would happen then, but I knew I wanted to find out because it was what Bella needed most. And since she was what I needed most, things would work out in the end for us. After all we'd been through, it would just be too cruel for it not to work out.

"I want to take my wife upstairs and enjoy my first night alone with her in a very long while," I said, smiling in the way I knew she liked best.

She nodded her head and put her hand in mine, but I got the feeling that her mood was dampened and she was unsure of my feelings for her again. Why couldn't I just get my mouth to open and explain to her that I did want her, but was so nervous at the same time? I was afraid of accidentally hurting her and pushing her away.

Because I knew she would never believe it. She would pretend she understood, but she really wouldn't. She still wondered sometimes if she'd made the right choice in marrying me—not that she didn't love me, but that she thought it might have been best for me to let me go on to medical school. My father had put that idea into her head on accident and I still hadn't managed to get it out. She never said anything to me about it, but she sometimes talked about it in her sleep.

As soon as we were in the room, I pulled Bella to me and kissed her, trying to show her that I'd meant my words and I really did love her. When I pulled my lips away from hers, we were both breathing heavier.

"Bella, why don't you go change into something more comfortable? I have something planned and as lovely as this dress is, it's going to be in the way."

"How comfortable should I be?" she asked, her lips pulled up in a teasing smile.

I decided to play along, not promising anything with my words, but also leaving her with the reassurance that she was wanted. "Something that's easy to remove if I need the access."

"Sure, sure," Bella replied, looking a little dazed.

"Are you dazzled again?" I asked, trying not to laugh.

"When am I not?" she chuckled, pulling away from me. "I'll be back soon. And it would be nice to see you in something easily accessed as well," she added before closing the bathroom door.

**Bella's POV**

Well, the dress had definitely worked at least a little on Edward. He was at least thinking of seeing me without it on. I wasn't sure if that meant there would be any touching or love-making going on, but progress was progress at this point. And if I was really lucky, the little number Rose had helped me pick out would give Edward the nudge he needed to finally understand that I was healed and more than ready to reprise my role as his lover.

After hanging my dress up on the back of the door, I quickly washed away all of the make-up and let down my hair. I didn't want to take too long and risk Edward finding something tame for us to do, like watching a movie—unless that movie was going to lead to making out in the dark and then I'd be all for that.

I pulled the chemise from my bag and held it up. It was as red as my dress, with black lace along the sweetheart neckline and hem. There was also some at the side where it split to show a little more leg. Definitely something I wouldn't normally go around in, but special times called for special measures. And since I was "being risqué to bring out the frisk-ay" as Rose put it, I might as well do it thoroughly. Edward was really going to be shocked when he discovered this was the only thing blocking his "access", and I really hoped he would like it.

I turned to the mirror, taking a long look at myself in the chemise. All of my confidence and bravery faded away as I noted each and every change in my body. Between the pregnancy weight, breastfeeding, and the scar, I hardly looked like my old self at all. There was so little about me that hadn't changed, and the scariest thing of all was knowing that the inside had changed nearly as much as the outside. What if it didn't feel the same? What if I didn't react the same? And what if Edward didn't like my new body?

There was really only one way to find out and it was by stepping through that door. I'd been so nervous about the dress, and it had ended up being for nothing, so maybe I would get lucky and all of this worrying would be useless too. I took a deep breath, let it out slowly, and then pretended to have a hell of a lot more confidence than I was actually feeling as I opened the door and walked into the room.

Edward was in the middle of pulling his dress pants off; he looked up at me and got so distracted with staring that he forgot to put his foot down and he fell over.

"Does that mean you like it?" I asked, trying hard not to laugh.

He just nodded his head, his emerald eyes never leaving me. If I didn't know better, I'd have sworn _he_ was dazzled by _me_.

"Do you plan to sit there with one pants leg on and one off for the rest of the night?" I asked.

He blinked and finally seemed to realize he was still on the floor. "Just give me a minute," he said, trying to get his pants off too quickly and making it worse for himself.

"If you stand up, they should fall right down," I suggested.

"Bella, I don't think I can do that just yet," he replied, sounding serious.

I'd wanted to seduce him, not give him a heart attack. "Are you okay?" I asked, moving toward him.

"Fine," he said, holding his hand out toward me. "Just give me a minute."

I sat down in one of the comfy chairs, pressing my lips together and doing all I could not to laugh. He'd actually fallen down on his butt just from looking at me. Maybe this whole seducing my husband thing would be a lot easier than I'd thought.

Edward finally seemed to recover himself and he put his clothes away before coming over to me and pulling me up from the chair. He twirled me around once, getting a long look at me in this outfit, and he definitely seemed like he was enjoying the view.

He finally found his voice, but it wasn't the smooth velvet I was used to—there was a nervous tremor in it that made it sound rougher. "While I really do love that particular outfit on you, I think this will work better if you take it off."

"What will work better?"

"Well, I thought you might like a back massage, like I used to give you the night before you had big tests in college."

"Edward, that's sweet, but I—"

"Please, Bella?" There was no denying him with his soft tone or pleading emerald eyes. He smiled, realizing he'd won, and pointed toward the bed. "Take it off and lie down on your stomach."

Or maybe seducing my husband was going to be _exactly_ as hard as I'd thought. He wasn't leaving room for me to use any of the ideas Alice and Rose had given me…But I could at least make a little show of getting out of this chemise thing. I grabbed the hem of it and very, very slowly lifted it up and over my head, enjoying the way Edward's eyes never once strayed away from my body.

I did my best to pretend I wasn't completely naked in front of him as I walked over to the bed. I kept expecting him to ask me where my clothes were or to ask that I cover myself up, but he never said a word.

Once I was settled on my stomach, with my head on a pillow, Edward knelt over me and moved my hair out of his way. I heard a snap and tried to turn to see what it was, but he just pushed on my shoulder and made me stay still.

"Fine," I sighed. "But can you at least tell me what that sound was?"

"You'll see," he said softly. And then his hands touched my back and the contact gave my skin a warm feeling that seeped right through and into my muscles.

"What the heck is that?" I asked, liking his massage idea a lot more now. Between the warmth of the liquid and the feel of his hands finally on my skin, I was quickly melting beneath him.

"Something Jasper and Emmett suggested," Edward replied. "Actually, I think it was Rose and Alice working through their husbands, but it doesn't matter as long as you like it."

"I love it. It feels wonderful. It's like having a heating pad that covers my whole back and massages. You should really let me do this for you after."

"We'll see. For now, just relax."

He must have passed those amazing hands of his over my back and shoulders a good ten times before finally stopping. Only, he didn't really stop—he just moved onto my arms and legs, leaving me a giant melted pile of goo in the middle of the huge hotel bed.

When he finally stopped, he laid down next to me and I moved closer, so that I was snuggled right against him. "That was the best massage I've ever had in my whole life," I said, kissing his cheek.

"Good," he chuckled, wrapping his arm around me and pulling me even closer. "I love you."

"I love you, too," I whispered, tracing the side of his face with my finger. "I've missed you so much, Edward. I know you've been right there with me, but it hasn't been the same. It's not the same kind of closeness. I hope I'm explaining this right because I don't want you to think I'm just talking about us having sex. That's not what I miss. I miss the before and the after." I lifted my hand and trailed my fingers across his chest. "I miss the feel of your hands sliding over me, your breath on my skin, and the way you whisper my name in the dark. I miss how tightly you hold me after and how crazy your heart sounds underneath my ear."

He grabbed my hand and held it tightly against his chest. I lifted my head, worried by the way his hand was shaking, but his face only made me more anxious. His eyes were shut tightly and his face was a little red.

I wasn't sure what I had said to upset him, but I desperately wanted to take it back. He'd been hurt too much already. I pulled my hand from him and wrapped both of my arms around him, hugging him as tightly as I could. He didn't move at first, but then his arms covered my waist and back, welding me to him. "I'm sorry," I whispered into his ear. "I didn't mean to upset you. I was just trying to share my feelings with you."

His grip on me tightened and although he didn't say a word, he spoke volumes to me…his tear hitting my cheek was all the answer I needed. He wasn't upset with me and I hadn't said the wrong thing. I'd said the _right_ thing—I'd said what he couldn't figure out how to say himself and he really had missed me as much as I'd missed him.

"I love you, Edward. I wish I could have healed so much faster and come back to you sooner. I'm so sorry this has been so hard on you. I hate that you've gotten so worried about me that it's made you put back up those walls of yours. Tell me what I can do to help you take them down again. I'll do anything, I swear."

A small sigh was his only response.

"Please talk to me, Edward."

"I really don't think you want to hear anything I have to say."

"Not true. I always want to hear. I just wish sometimes that you weren't so upset and worried."

He rolled away from me and got up from the bed, stalking across the room and plopping himself down into one of the chairs. He'd left his shirt on the end of the bed so I grabbed it and it slipped it on myself before walking over to him.

"Why is it that I'm supposed to open up and share with you, but you can put up those stupid walls of yours and keep to yourself?"

"You had a reason for how you felt."

I sighed as I knelt down between his legs, taking his hands into mine. He looked so upset and I just wanted to lighten his heart and mind. "Edward, you have every right to your feelings. I know that in a lot of ways, this was just as scary for you, if not worse. But how can I help you to work through it, like you did for me, if you won't share? Please be honest. Did you want this weekend?"

He closed his eyes, hiding the green beneath along with his feelings. His face was a perfect mask of ease as he answered. "Of course I want this weekend."

"Liar," I accused.

He didn't reply or even open his eyes.

"Why didn't you want to spend a few days alone with me? Is it already too late to fix things between us?"

That question seemed to grab his attention because he not only opened his eyes, he let out a loud snort. "Why do you keep thinking there's something to fix?"

"Because this isn't how our marriage was before the baby. You weren't keeping your feelings a secret from me, we barely ever went a day without being intimate with each other in some way, and even though I didn't understand it, you always made me feel like when you looked at me, you saw the most beautiful thing in the world. How can all of that have changed without something breaking?"

"I'm not keeping secrets. I just don't see the point in bringing up things that are better left alone. And of course our life isn't like it was before the baby; we knew that it would never be the same again."

"Yes, not the same, Edward. But I never dreamed it would be like we were just two friends living together with a baby instead of it being _us_. It's like you're afraid of me; afraid to touch me, to really look at me—to show me any sign of real affection and want."

His voice was so low and soft that I nearly missed his reply. "Because I am, Bella."

"But why?"

"What do you mean why?" he asked, his voice almost at a yell. "Nearly being left alone without you isn't enough of a reason for you?"

"It could be if you explained it to me. It's been four months and I've done all I can to prove to you that I'm better, but nothing works."

"You don't understand," he sighed, leaning forward and burying his face in his hands.

"Help me then," I pleaded, running my fingers through his hair in what I hoped was a soothing gesture. "Edward, help me to understand. Please."

"They made me leave you. They just sent me away and left me to sit for so long, not knowing what was happening to you. And then...He came out and he said he was sorry and it seemed like his next words would be that you were gone. There was this moment where my mind pictured a life without you and it was nothing. It was just black, cold…It was nothing. When he explained that you were okay now, but would never be the same again, I thought I could handle that. I figured having you alive was all that mattered. I wasn't prepared for how different you would be, and I hate myself for being so selfish and wanting all of you back."

"Don't," I said softly as I moved to hold him. "Don't hate yourself. There was no way either of us could have been prepared for this, Edward."

"I don't know what to do, Bella. I don't know what's right and what's best for you, and it scares the hell out of me. You're just starting to seem like the happy person I'm used to and I'm so afraid of losing that again. I know that's selfish and makes me a jerk, but I can't help it."

"It does not make you selfish or a jerk," I said sternly, trying to pull him out of his despair. "We both lost part of me—I lost the physical pieces, and we both lost some emotional ones. I know I haven't been myself. Hell, I threw things at Emmett! I've never gotten that mad at my brother in my whole life. It's scary for me to realize how different I am, so I can only try and imagine what it must be like for you."

He didn't say anything and I wondered if I was getting through at all.

I decided to try and lighten the mood a little. "On the plus side, you have to be enjoying the decline in my stubborn streak."

Still nothing. I sighed as I hugged him tighter.

"Please tell me what I can do to help," I pleaded. "I really will do anything and I can prove it. Listen closely because this is your big opportunity to be a fell-fledged Cullen without me saying a word. I'm so determined to get my Edward back that if you tell me the only way is to buy you a new, faster car, I'll go out right now and get it. If it's a huge house that's way too big for us, I'll agree to that, too, without a word. I'll even allow—"

I didn't get another word out because Edward was busy kissing me and I was busy enjoying it. It was soft and loving, with a little desperation and desire mixed in.

He pulled away just as quickly as he'd started the kiss, resting his forehead on my shoulder.

"I love you," I whispered.

"I love you, too." His lips were tentative on mine, but still managed to command my full attention and cooperation. He wanted this, but needed it to be on his own terms and I would respect that—no matter how impatient I might feel, I would never let it show. I would keep my promise and do anything to help him.

His arms finally relaxed around me and his fingers started to explore the skin of my back, his fingertips lightly trailing from my waist, to my shoulders, and back down again. Edward deepened our kiss and our breaths mingled together for the first time in months, making my entire body flush with excitement and longing. As often as it had gotten me in trouble over the years, my stubbornness was the only thing keeping my hands from slipping into his silky, coppery hair and hanging on for life. I was certain that if I did that right now, he would pull away and stop, and I never wanted him to stop.

But he did stop and his green eyes were practically on fire with all of the things he was feeling. I wanted to badly to be able to crawl into that head of his and know everyone of them.

"I'm nervous, too," I admitted, hoping it might help him. "I don't know what to expect with my body being so changed. And honestly, I'm not so sure you'll like this new body," I said, looking down at myself.

His long finger touched my chin and lifted my face up to his. "If you would like, we could find out."

I think I nodded my head, but I wasn't sure. And I completely missed the part where he lifted me up and carried me to the bed. My attention was focused solely on those beautiful emerald eyes swirling with emotions and staring right at me.

Edward barely let any of us weight touch me, keeping as much of it as he could on his arms, locking me beneath his body as he kissed me. If this man thought for a second I had plans to move from this spot, he was highly absurd. I was thinking of doing a lot of things, but they all required me to stay right in this exact spot.

His kisses finally moved from my lips and down toward my neck, one of his favorite places to kiss on my body. I smiled, knowing that meant he was relaxing and starting to let himself go a little. I wasn't sure what he was so afraid of, but I thought it might have to do with hurting me in some way, something I knew he would never do. He just needed to realize that for himself.

My name left his velvet voice in a whisper as his warm breath blew against the area he'd been kissing. I shivered with delight and desire, enjoying two of the things I'd missed so much in the past six months. I didn't want to interrupt his focus, or make him think I was trying to be in control, but I did need to feel more of him, so I wrapped my hands around his upper arms and pulled until he relaxed and rested his weight on me.

"Tell me if this hurts," he whispered against my ear. "I never want to hurt you, Bella. I love you so much."

"You won't hurt me."

"Promise you'll tell me if I do."

"You won't hurt me," I repeated firmly. "But I promise all the same."

He seemed satisfied with that promise and started kissing me again. He moved us onto our sides and his free hand roamed across my skin, discovering every piece of my body within its reach. It was amazing how his movements could be so frantic and controlled at the same time, always more soft than forceful. No matter the speed or the length, it was always love-making for Edward and I loved that about him.

While he freely rediscovered my body, I kept my hands on his chest, worried that doing anything more would break his focus and cause him to stop. If he wanted more, he would let me know—I just had to make myself wait for him to do that. It had been six long months since we had last been able to show our love this way and I didn't want anything to stop us now that we were finally reconnecting.

I was so focused on behaving myself that I never even noticed us moving again and only became aware of it because Edward had stopped completely. His hair was hanging down in his face, hiding his eyes just enough for me to be unable to resist the urge to push it away. His green eyes closed and a small smile spread across his lips.

"I love you," I whispered.

He opened his eyes, revealing a mixture of love, fear, and desire—I only wanted him to feel two of those.

"I love you," I said, making it sound like the promise that it was.

I gently pulled his face down to mine and kissed him. He took the lead and deepened it easily, freely, and without hesitation. I could feel that spark we'd always had between us and taste it on his tongue. It made me feel like I was both floating and drowning in his love for me.

His touch, his lips, the gentle way he was making love to me…they all answered my questions of whether or not my body appealed to him, if my body still worked and reacted the same to him, and if he still wanted me. It wasn't the mad rush Rose had predicted, or the all-night affair Alice had been so sure of—it was better. It was just Edward breathing out while I breathed in and our arms holding us together in a way that promised us we'd never let go, no matter what happened to us.

That floating feeling turned into one of flight and our mingled cries of pleasure filled the room, and I was sure it was the sweetest sound I'd heard in ages. And while I listened to his heart pound beneath my ear and felt his panting breaths against the top of my head, my world finally felt like it was completely put back together and spinning correctly.

We fell asleep still holding tightly to each other, having our first night of deep, uninterrupted sleep in months. When the sun woke us on Saturday, we continued to just lie there, talking softly about everything we could think of. Edward opened up about all of his feelings during the last four months, his current fears, and his future hopes for us. Those walls of his were gone once again and everything about him seemed lighter, from the set of his shoulders, to the tone in his voice, and even the look in his beautiful green eyes. He finally understood and believed that I was okay.

We hardly ventured away from the bed that day, only leaving to eat and to take a very long bath together in the huge spa tub in our bathroom. We didn't do anything more than teasingly touch and cuddle, but we didn't need more—we'd already found each other again.

We spent our Saturday night wrapped up in the fuzzy robes of the hotel, watching a comedy on the huge television and cuddling together in one of the recliners. It was absolutely perfect for us and Edward didn't even mind that I'd wanted to stay in instead of going out on the boat.

Sometime before sunrise on Sunday, Edward woke me with his kisses and we took advantage of our last morning completely alone, both of us knowing it would be sometime before we had a chance to have another slow morning like this. We might not have tons of time at our disposal in the future, but I would do all I could to make sure we never went so long without showing our love for each other.

As much as we'd both enjoyed our time away, we were getting anxious to get back to Charlie. And it was because we'd both admitted to wanting to be with him that I found it extremely odd for Edward to take a turn that led away from Emmett's house.

"What are you going?" I asked, looking around for something familiar and finding nothing.

"You'll see," Edward said, smiling wide.

I found myself smiling just because he was, enjoying seeing my husband truly happy after months of worry. "What are you up to, Tutor-boy?" I asked him.

"You'll see," he repeated.

"Fine. Be cryptic. See if I care," I said, crossing my arms in front of me. My silence lasted exactly twenty-one seconds. "Edward, please? Tell me where we're going. This isn't the way to Em's and you're prolonging my separation from my son and I want to know why."

"Patience is a virtue, Isabella," he said with a huge smirk on his face.

"I believe I recall your response to being told that. Didn't it go something like 'I lost my virtue to you a long time ago'?"

"Yes, it did as a matter of fact. And may I just say that I loved every second of taking it from you?"

As much as I didn't want to because I knew it would just encourage him, I found myself laughing.

Edward reached over and uncrossed my arms, pulling my hand up to his lips and pressing a kiss against my skin. "I love you."

I pulled our joined hands toward me and kissed his hand in return. "I love you, too." I was pretty sure he mumbled "remember that", but when I asked, he swore he hadn't said anything.

Edward eventually turned down a driveway and followed it around a bend and up to a house sitting in the middle of a yard too green to be anything but freshly laid grass.

"What is this place?" I asked, staring up at the massive house through the windshield.

"Well, remember how you said you would do anything…"

* * *

For those adult readers wanting a little more, the one-shot is called Make You Believe.

I hope you guys really liked these chapters. Enjoy your DVDs next weekend, and I'll be back the following weekend - we'll find out exactly where Edward has taken his Bella.


	51. Surprise!

Hello, Lovely Readers!

So can I just say once again how much I love Rob's self-deprecating humor?? Probably because of how often I do that myself. LOL

Well, it certainly felt odd not to post last weekend, but I took that time to do my best to make this weekends chapters killer for you all. I don't want to take up much time here because I know you're all anxious to find out where Bella and Edward are at now that their weekend has come to a close. But please be sure to read the A/N at the end. It has a few interesting little tidbits in it about the chapter and the story in general.

* * *

**DISCLAIMER:** The characters do not belong to me…they are all the creation of the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. All are human.

**Surprise!**

**Bella's POV**

"_What is this place?" I asked, staring up at the massive house through the windshield._

"_Well, remember how you said you would do anything…"_

"Edward Anthony Cullen," I hissed at him. "Tell me you did _not_ buy us a house."

"I did not buy us a house…I had one custom made for us."

"Without even talking to me?" I cried.

Edward looked stricken. "Of course I got your input. You just didn't know that you were telling me how to build you a house. I wrote down every word you said about what you wanted in a house and gave the notes to Jasper to design a place for us."

"But…How? You've been so busy with Charlie and me."

"Well, I had help. Emmett stopped by every afternoon after he got off of work and checked in with the crews to make sure everything was going fine. He's the reason the house is ready now."

"Emmett and Jasper _both_ knew? Who else knows about this?" I asked. I was chanting in my head to remember that Edward loved me and it was the only reason he ever did stupid things like this.

Edward didn't really seem like he wanted to answer my question, but he did it anyway. "Well, now that you know, everyone knows."

"Cullen," I sighed, closing my eyes and leaning my head back. My fingers went to the bridge of my nose, imitating my husband's gesture when stressed.

"Please come and see the inside before you say anything."

I popped one eye open and looked over at him. He looked so nervous and I felt guilty for even being upset about this—I knew in my heart that he was just trying to be a good husband to me and father to Charlie. He'd wanted to get us a place of our own for over a year and would have too if I hadn't gotten pregnant. But I'd always assumed I would get to be involved in deciding where we lived because I planned to stay there for a very long time. I wanted Charlie to have fond memories of growing up in one place, just like Edward and I both had with our parents. I would just have to trust that Edward really had been able to design a house I would want.

"Alright, Cullen. Let's go see this house of yours."

"Our home, Bella," Edward corrected as he opened his door.

"You better damn well hope so," I muttered too low for him to hear as I got out of the car.

The front door was set inside of a square archway, matching the way the house seemed to be made of different squares put together. It had a wonderful modern look to it, and the sandy color of the stonework helped to make it even more my style. The doors and trim were deep, dark brown, calling attention to the windows of various sizes, all square again.

Edward slid the key into the right side of the double doors and then turned toward me. "Close your eyes," he instructed.

I tried not to be annoyed as I dutifully closed my eyes. When he told me I could open them, I found that he'd opened the double doors completely, giving me a full view of the large foyer. There was a window near the top of the ceiling and it flooded the area with light. I'd always told Edward that I wanted a house with tons of natural light, and so far, he was delivering.

"I've left all of the walls white so that you can pick whatever color you want. The floors are all either hardwood or tile, but we can put as many rugs into the house as you want," Edward said as he wrapped his arm around my waist and drew me into the house.

He pulled me to the right and showed me the first room of the downstairs. It was long and wide and the large window framed it nicely.

"This would be a great playroom for Charlie and all of his cousins," Edward said, his voice echoing slightly in the empty space.

When I didn't reply, he quickly moved us to the next room. It had small square windows that were framed with dark cherry wood, making them seem more like small pieces of art than windows. There was also a set of French doors leading out into the side yard.

"Our office," he announced. "I figured we could share it and that you could make one of the corners into a reading area for yourself."

I still didn't say anything, so we moved on to the kitchen. The countertops were granite, the cabinets were a soft red-brown, and every appliance and fixture was state-of-the-art. There was even a window in the corner, giving a beautiful view of the backyard. The floor was a soft cream colored tile and the ceiling had both recessed lighting and a small chandelier. This area was so big that there was plenty of room to put seating around the kitchen island and still have a full dining room table in here.

There was a set of French doors in this room as well, but these led out into the backyard. The doors were framed in a wall of windows, flooding the area with natural light. And as if that wasn't enough, there was a skylight to help give the area a glowing effect.

"What's this area supposed to be for?" I asked, speaking for the first time. There was a wall cutting it off from the rest of the kitchen and giving it a private feel while still being open.

"You've always said you wanted an open area with lots of light for my piano. I thought this would be a great spot. And we can set up your guitar in here as well, and places for Charlie and you to sit when you want to listen to me play. Or when he and I want to hear you play."

We headed upstairs and I was once again amazed at the all the different sizes of the windows and how the whole house seemed bright without being too open to the outdoors. Not that anyone could really look inside anyway since there wasn't a house close enough to this one to see from.

The first bedroom we came to was open and airy, with a small walk-in closet. So were the next two bedrooms that I saw. The bathroom had a long, low black sink countertop on a cabinet made of that same reddish wood that was in the kitchen, and right across from it was a second sink and a small vanity area. There wasn't a shower in the room, but there was a garden tub surrounded on three sides by windows. I could easily picture Charlie splashing around in that tub while watching the clouds and birds pass right outside the windows.

Our next stop was the master bedroom. It had a sitting area that was separate from the sleeping area, and featured French doors that opened up onto a cozy terrace. It looked just big enough for a small table and two chairs. The closet was a huge, double walk-in and even had room for a chair if we decided to put one in there. The master bathroom had a double vanity sitting atop an antique-style cabinet; it almost seemed more like a dresser than a bathroom cabinet. There was a beautiful claw-foot tub to bathe in, with a skylight located right above, and the shower was a beautiful dark tile with glass walls and a glass door, letting you see inside to the dual showerheads and the built-in bench.

I turned and crossed the room, stepping out of the French doors and onto the small terrace, surveying the backyard.

"What do you think?" Edward asked. Even with him trying to keep his voice low, there was no hiding the nervousness in it.

I turned to face him, but that just worried him more when he saw the tears in my ears.

"I'm sorry," he sighed, pulling me into his arms. "I really wanted to give you the home of your dreams."

"Then why are you sorry?" I asked, ignoring the tears leaking down my face.

"You're crying," he stated, looking confused.

"I'm crying because I don't know what else to do with myself. Edward, this truly is my dream home. It has everything I've ever wanted. It's bright and airy, it has tons of windows to show off the outdoors, and I could definitely see myself living my entire life right here."

He smiled and it was absolutely gorgeous to witness. "So you like it?"

"I love it," I corrected. "Thank you."

"Um…I honestly wasn't expecting to not have to argue. I'm not sure what to say."

"How about you hold off on saying anything and get me back to my son. I might love this house, but I'm still ticked at you for hiding an entire house from me."

"That's sort of the point of it being a surprise, Bella."

"A _home_ should never be a surprise. It should be a discussion we have together."

"You're right," he sighed, looking sufficiently chastised for me.

"We can talk more about this later. Right now, I really want to see Charlie."

"Okay. I know you aren't ready to talk yet, but while you're thinking, would you also think about a timetable for moving in? I was sort of hoping we could get it done before the holidays. I was thinking it would be really nice to have the New Years Eve party here, for the whole family to come and see the new house."

"Later," was my only reply to him. I had a lot to think about and the last thing I needed was to even start to imagine what a move during the holidays would be like, especially since we would need furniture for every room in the house. We'd always planned on leaving the furniture we had now at Carlisle and Esme's for whenever we visited.

The ride to Emmett's was fairly silent, with only Edward's music playing. I appreciated that he was giving me space, giving me time to swallow his very large surprise. I loved the house; I really did. But it was hard to move past the feeling that it had been done behind my back. I knew it was just that stubbornly independent side of myself being selfish and that was my main reason for keeping quiet. I wanted to squash it and make it go away; it wanted to stay and convince me that Edward and I hadn't really connected at all this weekend.

As soon as we stepped into Emmett's house, I picked up my son and grabbed Rose, heading off to her room to talk in private.

"What's wrong, Bella?" she asked as I showered a giggling Charlie with kisses.

"Edward showed me his big surprise."

That seemed to be all I needed to say because Rose sat down next to me and hugged me tightly. "I tried to tell him that this was not the sort of thing to surprise you with. But you know, Edward. He just assumed I was referring to your normal hate of surprises and nothing else. Emmett wasn't any better. And if I hadn't felt so much like it wasn't my place to interfere, I would have told you myself. Alice and I both thought of telling you a few times, but you were already dealing with so much."

"Rose, I'm just…I left that hotel, feeling like I'd really connected with Edward again, that we were in the same place together. And now…I don't want to, but now I feel like he's left me behind again. He's gone off and planned a future without me."

"No, Honey. He just planned a house. That's all. And if you told him you hated that house, he would sell it and make sure you had so much input on the next one that you would get sick of his questions."

"The problem is that the house really is my dream home, Rosalie. It's everything I ever wanted in a house. And I'm worried that if I accept this and embrace it, Edward will take that as a cue to always leave me out of the decision making."

"Bella, I really think you're just reading into things because you're upset."

"And if I'm not?"

Rose moved so that we were looking at each other. "I think the best thing you can do for yourself, and your marriage, is to sit Edward down and explain exactly how you're feeling. Don't worry about hurting his feelings and just lay out exactly how this made you feel and what worries it created for you."

"I get why he did it today, but I really wish he wouldn't have," I sighed. "I wish I could pretend I didn't know and still feel that closeness I'd had when we left earlier."

"Bella, take it from me, you can't let every stupid thing your husband does make you feel like you're not connected to him. No matter what insane surprise Edward comes up with, you're still his wife and his partner, and if you truly don't like what he's done, he will fix it. But you have to tell him first."

"I will. I just want to spend a little time with Charlie first. Was he good?"

"He was a perfect angel," Rose replied, smiling at Charlie. "He's so sweet that he makes me want a little boy of my own."

"You could do that. You're an amazing mom."

"Yeah, but I don't think I'm quite ready for three kids," she chuckled. "I want Lily to be just a little older before I tackle pregnancy and midnight feedings again."

"Did he give you any trouble with his medicine?"

"None. But you have created a monster, Bells."

"What do you mean?" I asked, making faces at Charlie and getting him to laugh.

"Well, remember how you gave Charlie his first taste of real food at Thanksgiving?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm guessing Edward and you don't eat in front of Charlie."

"Not usually. Our schedules don't really match up for that."

"Well, he sat with us while we ate and he threw one major little hissy fit until we shared with him. This little man has tasted scrambled eggs, toast, peas, and macaroni and cheese. And he loved it all."

"What are you doing growing up when I'm not looking?" I asked Charlie, tickling his side and getting him to giggle. "Don't you know you're supposed to wait until I'm watching to do things like that?"

Charlie just continued to giggle.

"I have his bag all packed up for you since I figured you'd want to get him home and keep him all to yourself for a bit. I remember feeling that way the first time I left Lily with Edward and you."

"Thanks, Rosalie. Both for watching Charlie and for talking with me."

"You're my sister, Bella. I would do anything for you."

"And me for you," I promised, hugging her tightly.

I said my goodbyes to Emmett and Lily and then we left. I spent the ride home in the back with Charlie, holding on to his hand and talking to him. And when we got inside, I went straight upstairs to give Charlie a bath. I was sure Edward knew I was avoiding him on purpose and I just hoped he understood why. I needed to sort this out for myself before I could talk to him about it.

I spent the day with Charlie, playing with him and reading to him. I even took him for a walk in the backyard, bringing him to the hill that Edward and I loved to share. I hated that we were spending this time away after such a great weekend, but I was more afraid of what would happen if I went to him before I was ready. I tended to have a temper, much like my father and brother, and I didn't want it to get away from me at such a critical time in our life together.

By the time I had Charlie asleep in his own bed, I knew exactly what I wanted to say. I crossed the hall to our room, but found it empty. I listened closely and faintly heard piano music. I made my way down the darkened stairs, through the empty living room, and into Edward's music room.

He was sitting behind his piano, staring down at his hands—even sitting that way, you couldn't miss the scowl on his face. I battled with myself once again over whether I had a right to feel upset or if I was just being selfish; I was pretty sure it was a good mix of both.

"Edward."

His head sprung up and his green eyes immediately landed on me. "Is Charlie asleep?"

"Yes. I was hoping we could talk."

"Whatever you would like, Bella." He scooted over and patted his bench, inviting me to sit next to him.

I did sit down and then I played with the piano keys a little, stalling and making absolutely sure I had my thoughts in order. Edward's hand touched mine, gently pulling my fingers from the smooth ivory keys.

"I thought you wanted to talk," he said, his voice careful and reserved.

"I do want to talk. I want to start by saying once again that I do understand why you did what you did and what you were hoping to accomplish. But, Edward, I need you to understand how it made me feel. I have struggled all along with wanting to feel like your equal in this relationship, and even though you don't mean it, every time you leave me out of a decision, you leave me feeling like you don't trust me to have a good opinion, a _worthy_ opinion."

He opened his mouth and I quickly lifted my hand, not wanting to lose my train of thought.

"Like I said, I know you don't mean it that way. But I _feel_ that way and I need you to understand that. I feel like if I accept the house whole-heartedly, you'll take it that it's okay to leave me out of such big decisions since you're always so sure of what I want. And maybe you never would have taken it that way, but that's not something I'm willing to risk. You have to understand the difference between surprising me and leaving me out. You left me out with the house, Edward. Yes, you did a great job of getting my ideas without me knowing, but it would have meant so much more to me if you would've involved me in the process. I would have loved to watch Jasper come up with the blueprints for the house, and to help you pick out the colors for the flooring and fixtures in the house. This could have been something we did together, Edward, but you cut me out of it. With that said, I want to thank you again for trying to do what you thought was right and best. I realize that this was your way of taking care of your family. I just hope you'll never do this again."

"I won't," Edward promised as he pulled me into his arms, hugging me tightly. "I'll involve you so much that you get sick of it and beg me to leave you alone. I'm so sorry that I hurt your feelings, Bella. That was never my intention. I was only trying to make one of your dreams come true for you."

"I know. Just…just let me have a little bit of involvement with those dreams, okay?"

"I promise."

"Come on, Cullen. Let's go check on our little man and then get some sleep," I said, tugging on his hand. "You've got work tomorrow."

"Yes, I do," he sighed. "I wish I hadn't messed up with you today. I'd really been looking forward to spending the whole day with Charlie and you."

"We'll have tomorrow afternoon together, when you get home from work. And we'll have the Christmas break as well."

"Speaking of the break…Have you decided if you're going back to work in the spring semester?"

"I think that with us having a brand new house, and the mortgage and start-up costs that go with it, I really should go back to work. I'm going to ask for my classes to only be Tuesday-Thursday ones, but I doubt I'll get that. There are a lot of teachers who have been there much longer than me."

"You could stay home, Bella. You know we don't really need the money."

"Edward, your money isn't endless and we need to make sure we have plenty to leave Charlie if anything should ever happen to us. Besides, we also have a college fund to fill up for our little man."

"What will we do with Charlie while we're at work?"

"Well, I was thinking I would ask Rose if she would watch him, for a fee of course. She's been so great with Lily and I think Charlie would learn a lot from staying with his aunt and cousin."

We stopped talking as we walked into Charlie's room, not wanting to wake our little man. We spent a few minutes standing in front of his crib, just looking at the little miracle we had brought into the world, before finally going into our room.

Edward shut the door part of the way, but I had other plans for us. "Edward, close it all the way," I told him. "We have the baby monitor on if he wakes."

He obeyed, but looked confused and a little wary as he crossed the room and followed me into the closet. "Why did I shut it?"

"Because I want some time alone with my husband," I replied, pulling out my pajamas. "I want you to make me forget all about feeling left out."

He smiled and leaned forward, pressing his lips to my forehead. "I would really like the opportunity to show you."

"Just know that if you wake my baby by being too loud, I'm so going to enjoy kicking your ass, Cullen."

Edward laughed and wrapped me up in his arms, swaying me a little. "There's the feisty girl that completely turned my world upside down. Should I get you some soda and Twizzlers?"

"Only if you want me laughing."

"I think I'd much rather have you moaning," he whispered against my ear.

"I think I'd rather that, too," I managed to reply. My words were immediately followed by a wonderful kiss, which quickly turned into a needy kiss, and eventually ended in make-up sex. We'd only partaken of this particular version a few times in our years together, and as much as I hated fighting with Edward, I loved his way of making it up to me. And just to make sure it was perfect, Edward promised once again to never leave me out of any decisions. I really hoped he could stick to that promise.

* * *

Okay, before anyone hits the review button, remember this...Bella isn't upset so much about the house, as she is that she was completely left out of it. She does understand Edward had good intentions and that is exactly why she gave herself some space to calm down. That shows just how much all of her experiences have matured her. Old Bella would have ranted and railed and maybe even bit him! LOL

Next thing...As if she didn't have enough with Charlie and Edward, Bella got my dream house. The one described above is real and it's absolutely gorgeous. If I had Cullen money, I would buy it in a heartbeat. But alas, I just have a regular, boring day job. LOL

Our Little Man is up for "Best Alternate Universe" over at The Lion and Lamb Awards. I'm up against some great competition, like my good buddy Bronze. **And!** I'm very excited for this one, my good friend Velvet Blood Roses is up for "Best Vampire Bella" for her masterpiece, Primal Desires. Nominations end today, so voting should be starting soon. The link is up on my profile pages. Even if you aren't in a voting mood, it's a great way to find lots of good fanfic stories to read.

That's it for me!! Next chapter will jump ahead a bit and the boys will be babysitting all by themselves! Hee hee.


	52. Babies,Bites,Streakers Oh, my!

**DISCLAIMER:** The characters do not belong to me…they are all the creation of the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. All are human.

**Babies, Bites, and Streakers…Oh, my!**

**Edward's POV**

"Maaaaa," Charlie yelled while shaking his toy key chain and smacking my leg with it. His yell was cut off by him finally figuring out how to get part of his toy into his mouth. I quickly pulled it out and handed him his pacifier instead.

"What's that all about?" Emmett asked. "He just spent the last ten minutes trying to get his mouth around that thing and the second he figures it out, you ruin his fun."

"He's teething and it's bad for him to chew on hard toys," I explained.

"Teething? Already?" Jasper asked.

I shrugged. "He's five months old now and the first tooth usually shows up between four and seven months, so he's right on schedule. Bella cried last night when she felt the tooth coming out. Her breastfeeding days are numbered."

"I'm shocked she left Charlie with you then," Emmett replied.

"Furniture stores are no place for a baby," I said.

Bella, Alice, Rose, and Esme had all gone out to shop for furniture for our home. It had taken a while, but Bella had finally forgiven me and agreed that we should move into the house by the end of the year. Since she was already going to be upsetting Charlie's schedule by going to work, she figured we should go ahead and move at the same time to keep him from having to adjust twice.

Charlie whimpered and tried to turn over in my arms. He was trying to move around so much more these days and was quickly getting frustrated with his lack of motion. I turned him so that he was looking at me and practicing his standing. His legs still weren't strong enough to really support him, so he was squatting more than standing.

"What's wrong, little man? You're tired of hanging out with Daddy and your uncles already?"

Charlie gave out an annoyed cry and tried to sit down.

"How about your gym? Want to play with it?" I asked him as I moved us to the floor. I set Charlie down on his back and then put his Baby Einstein toy over him. It was shaped to look like a caterpillar and he loved pulling on the pieces to make the music and lights come on—it was a gift from his grandparents and one of his favorites.

"Man, that quieted him right down," Emmett chuckled.

"He loves music just as much as Bella and I do," I said, reaching out and smoothing Charlie's hair down a little. The poor little man was doomed to have hair as unruly as my own.

"You did start him listening to it as soon as possible," Jasper said as he patted Brandon's back, trying to burp him.

Luckily for us, the kids had yet to realize we were the only adults in the house and they were all being very well behaved. Lily was building something with her blocks—she might just take after her Uncle Jasper more than her parents—while Elizabeth was sleeping and Brandon had just finished his bottle.

We had tried being alone with the kids a couple of weeks ago and they'd all revolted on us. Lily had decided to run naked through the house, much to Emmett's horror, while Elizabeth and Brandon had decided to be colicky together, and Charlie had flat out refused to have anything to do with anyone. He wanted his mother and he wasn't about to settle for anything less; I couldn't say that I blamed him. Our wives—and my parents—had enjoyed a very long laugh at our expense on that particular day.

"So is Bells excited to be going back to teaching?" Emmett asked, taking the green block Lily was offering him.

"She has mixed feelings about it, but I think she's mostly excited," I replied. "Leaving Charlie will be hard for her, and I think knowing he'll be with Rose and Lily is a huge help."

"Yeah, Rosie is really excited to have the little man over practically every day," Emmett chuckled. "Won't be long before she's trying to convince Alice to drop the twins off."

"Rosalie has always loved children," Jasper said with a smile. "That was her very first job, you know. She babysat for all of the families on our street. Of course, that usually meant I was helping, but she really did do most of the work, including the diapers. She used to talk about how she was one day going to have a huge family and our parents would have tons of grandkids to spoil." Jasper paused and his smile faded a little. "She stopped babysitting after our parents passed away, and started working on cars instead. Fixing up old cars, banging the dents out of fenders…I think it helped her deal with her anger. I just knew that if she was in the garage with the doors closed, I needed to stay the hell out of there."

"Everyone has their own way of dealing with grief and loss. At least Rosalie was able to channel it into something positive," I told him.

"Yeah, like fancying up that Volvo of yours," Emmett said with a grin. "I still remember the day she messed with the engine and kicked up the horsepower. You looked like you'd died and gone to Heaven."

"At the time, that was the best thing going on in my life," I said honestly.

"And three months later, little Bella waited on our table, taking our orders and stealing Edward's heart," Jasper chuckled. "And finally giving him something other than the Volvo to be infatuated with."

"Bite me, Jazz," I snorted, punching his leg lightly with my fist.

"From the friggin' hickey on your neck, I'd say you've been bitten enough," Emmett said, sounding both amused and annoyed.

"Bella's fault," I said proudly.

"So she's really feeling good then?" Emmett asked.

A smile immediately popped out onto my face as I thought of just how nice it was to finally have my Bella back. "Yeah, Em. She's back to being her confident, teasing, playful self."

"It's been one hell of a year," Jasper said. "Let's try to make the next one calmer, Edward and Emmett."

"Don't call us out like that and leave yourself off," Emmett replied. "You're the big daddy with the twins over there."

"Yep," Jasper said proudly, looking down at Brandon's little face.

"So what'd you get them and the pixie for Christmas?" Emmett asked.

"I got her the same thing I got Bella, Rose, and Esme this year. Gift certificates to that spa they love so much," Jasper told him. "I figured they could all use some relaxation and pampering."

"Oh, goody," Emmett said, rolling his eyes. "We can look forward to another day of babysitting."

"Daddy, look," Lily demanded.

Emmett immediately obeyed, giving his daughter his full attention. "What's up, Princess?"

"Daddy, I build," she said proudly, pointing at the block structure that was as tall as she was.

"Great job, Lily Bear," Jasper told her.

"Now I monster," she giggled. "Rawr!" she yelled, cupping her fingers into claws. She thrust her hands forward and blocks spilled everywhere.

The noise scared the babies and while I attempted to calm Charlie, Jasper was busy with Brandon and Emmett lifted Libby—Elizabeth's official nickname from Lily, and loved by Alice for some reason—out of the playpen, trying to console her.

"Yeah, real bright idea, boys. Let's get married and have families," Emmett said just loud enough to be heard over the cries.

"You know you love it," Jasper challenged.

"Hell yeah," Emmett chuckled. "I just forgot my earplugs at home is all."

"Daddy, I sorry," Lily said, patting his leg to get his attention.

"It's okay, Princess. You didn't know it would scare the babies," Emmett told her. "Thank you for saying you're sorry. That's very nice of you."

She smiled up at him and then turned away, coming over to Charlie and me. "Charlie want block?" she offered, holding a blue one out.

"Not right now, but could you get his blue blanket from the chair?" I asked, pointing toward it.

She nodded excitedly, her curls bouncing all over. She ran as fast as her little legs would carry her to the chair, piled the blanket up in her arms, and then carefully walked back, looking down to make sure she didn't step on the blanket. "Here, Charlie," she said, dropping it next to us.

"Thank you, Lily Bear," I told her, giving her a kiss on her cheek.

She giggled and then skipped off to the corner to put away her blocks. She might look a lot like Emmett, but she definitely had Rosalie's kind heart and sweet personality.

"I'm going to take the little man upstairs and see if I can get him down for a nap," I said to Jasper and Emmett as I got up from the floor.

"Traitor," Emmett said, grinning at me. "Leave us alone down here, outnumbered."

"We're already outnumbered," Jasper reminded him.

"See you guys in a bit," I chuckled, heading up the stairs with Charlie. I grabbed his book from his room and then took him into mine, leaning back on the couch with Charlie and his blanket on my chest. "Want to finish reading about Pooh Bear?" I asked, holding the book for Charlie to see the cover.

He tossed out a few nonsense words and then slapped his hand against the book—that was a good enough version of "yes" for me.

"Let's see…I think Mommy stopped with Pooh Bear being stuck in the tree," I said, flipping around to find the right page.

As I read, Charlie would move his head around, sometimes staring at the pages in the book and sometimes looking up at me. And occasionally, that hand of his would find its way up to my lips before I could catch it. According to the baby book, he was just trying to figure out how the words were coming from my mouth, but that didn't mean it was nice to have fingers suddenly pulling on your lips.

It took almost two chapters before his eyes finally slipped closed and he stopped struggling against his sleep. I tucked his blanket around him a little better and then waited to see if he was completely out before moving him to his crib. He was used to Bella putting him down and was hardly ever satisfied with the way I did it.

Holding him like this, it was easier to tell just how much he'd grown lately and I started feeling guilty all over again for Bella going back to work. She wanted to feel like she was sharing the responsibilities with me, but all I wanted was for her to be here with Charlie, enjoying these moments with him. I would just have to talk to her about it again, and hope she might be more receptive to the idea now that she wasn't upset about the house.

**Bella's POV**

"Honey, I'm home," Alice chirped as she skipped through the front door of the house. "Damn! Edward's not around to call me 'dear' and welcome me back," she pouted.

"Allow me," Rose chuckled. She cleared her voice and then lowered it. "I'll be right down, Dear."

"Clearly you ladies had a good shopping experience," Jasper said, grinning at his wife and sister.

"Bella didn't complain at all," Alice replied as she took Brandon into her arms. "Hello, baby boy. Did you miss me half as much as I missed you?" she asked, covering his face in kisses.

"From that smile on his face, I'd say so," Jasper chuckled.

"Trade," Alice chirped, setting Brandon back in the crook of Jasper's arm and taking Libby from him. "Hi, Sweetheart," she cooed, rubbing her nose against the baby's. "I bought you something today."

"Alice, we agreed we would wait until they're old enough to realize they're being spoiled," Jasper chided.

"But, Jazz, this was a one of a kind baby headband. It's pink and has ruffles and a little white bow," she replied, sticking her bottom lip out as far as it would go. "She'll be the cutest little girl any daddy has ever seen."

"Fine," he sighed in defeat. "Did you at least get something for Brandon as well?"

"Duh," Alice replied, rolling her eyes. "And you'll like it too," she said, reaching into her bag. She pulled out a small, plush baseball and handed it to her husband. "Now you can start training him to enjoy baseball. Oh, and you have to teach him that bat trick you do. Every time I see you do that, I want to jump you right then and there."

"Um…I don't think that came out right," Rose said, a few giggles escaping her.

"Not me!" Alice cried. "Whatever girl gets her eye on my son when he's in high school."

"You actually want your kids to date?" Emmett asked, looking shocked. "Did you forget what you were like in high school? Or the stories you've heard about me?"

"Not at all. And while I'll caution Brandon not to be a P-I-G pig, I'll never hold him back from finding the love of his life," Alice explained.

"Well this has been another very interesting trip into the mind of the pixie, but before my brain totally turns to mush, can someone tell me where my husband is at?" I asked, setting my bags down into the empty chair.

"He ditched us about a half hour ago," Emmett replied. "Either Charlie won't take his nap or Edward is hiding from us."

"If he's smart, he's definitely hiding from you," I chuckled.

"Hey, Squirt?" Emmett called out.

I stopped on the second stair and turned to look at him.

"Bite me," he said with a huge grin, wiggling his butt at me.

I didn't even pause to worry about how Em would take it; I just gave back as good as he was giving. "Thanks, but I filled my bite quota yesterday with Edward." My family's laughter followed me all the way up to the second floor, and my own chuckles continued until I reached the third floor landing. I didn't want my voice to ruin Edward's attempts to get Charlie down for a nap; my little man was picky about who put him to sleep.

I peeked around the corner of the door, looking into Charlie's room and expecting to see them in the rocker. But the rocker and the room were empty so I headed into my room. There was a small crack in the door, so I pushed it the rest of the way open and found the bed empty. I was just getting ready to head downstairs and check to see if Edward had somehow snuck out of the house when a little bit of movement caught my eye.

I walked further into the room, finding Edward asleep on the couch with Charlie on his chest and a book on his legs. I quietly crawled up onto the bed so I could watch them together for a little bit. They were so alike in some ways, and it wasn't even their hair having the same color and wildness. It was the little things, like the way their lips puckered when they slept, or how when they sighed in their sleep it was this huge breath that made their chests rise all the way up before settling again. And Charlie definitely had his daddy's smile—big and bright and reaching all the way up into his eyes, even though he'd gotten stuck with my brown color.

Charlie grew fitful in his sleep, moving his fisted hands up and rubbing them against his eye and nose. The movement woke Edward and he looked down at our baby, checking to see if he would settle down or wake up completely. With one more rub to his nose, Charlie let out a sigh and relaxed again, getting his daddy to smile wide.

"Hey, Handsome," I whispered, not wanting to wake the baby or scare Edward.

He turned his head toward me, giving me a great view of those gorgeous green eyes of his. "Miss, you shouldn't be in here. My wife will be home any moment and she won't like to find you ogling her husband."

I smiled at his teasing and quickly thought up a response. "That's too bad for her. But frankly, she should never have left you alone in the first place. A beautiful man like yourself could easily be taken advantage of. One moment, you're putting your baby to sleep and the next, you're being forced to eat Twizzlers and watch 'How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days'."

Edward snorted, trying hard not to laugh so he wouldn't wake Charlie. "Am I to assume those are tonight's plans, Love?"

"The first part of the night anyway. Alice has demanded a good old-fashioned family movie night. Though, I'm not quite sure she's aware that expecting a two hour block of time to go by uninterrupted by diapers, feedings, or just the general cry for attention is a bit of a fantasy at this point."

"She'll learn soon enough," he said, cradling Charlie against his chest as he stood up. "Let me get him into his crib and then I'll give you a proper welcome home."

"Promise?" I asked, smirking at him as he came around the bed.

"Of course," he replied, grinning enough to make his dimples pop out.

He must have really been excited to keep that promise because he was back in the room in just minutes, wrapping an arm around me and pulling me down onto the bed with him.

"You're lucky I didn't squeal and wake the baby," I chuckled, slapping his shoulder.

"I'm very lucky to have you," he mumbled, his lips greedily kissing my neck.

"Did you miss me?" I teased as I tangled my fingers in his hair.

He nodded just a little and hummed against my neck, making me tingle from head to toe. "I always miss you when you're not by my side."

I knew I should say something back, but it was hard to think with the way his lips were caressing my neck while his fingers slid up and down my bare side.

"I missed you," he whispered into my ear. "I love you," he added, brushing his lips over mine.

"I missed you, too," I said, finally remembering how to speak. "I really like the way you're showing that you missed me."

Things between Edward and me were finally normal again. Neither of us could really keep our hands to ourselves again and we were back to talking about everything and anything when we were together—granted most of it was updating Edward on what Charlie had done that day, but the topic didn't matter. The only thing that mattered was I had my best friend back and Edward had his. He'd even admitted to missing Charlie like crazy that day after our weekend getaway. I'd been so focused on dealing with the house in the right way, that it had never occurred to me that I'd forgotten all about giving Edward time with Charlie. And of course, since he was Edward, he didn't tell me or even come and ask to see Charlie. He'd said he figured I needed to be with our son and since he'd caused the mess anyway, it was only right. I'd told him he was out of his mind and that he was never, ever to do that again, and then I did a bunch of things to make up for it, like sending Edward and Charlie out for a father-son afternoon. Edward had taken Charlie to the park to see the ducks, and apparently, both of my guys had gotten hit on a heck of lot; I would definitely be going to the park with them in the future.

"I have a few other ideas on how to show you," he mumbled, his lips now on the opposite side of my neck. Damn this sexy man and his enticing words—the whole family was downstairs and there's no way we would go unmissed for long enough to really enjoy ourselves.

I felt his hand pulling my shirt up and I quickly stopped him, laughing a little as I slid out from underneath him and got off the bed. "No way, Tutor-boy. I'm not taking the chance of someone coming to look for us and having to stop right in the middle. Let's go downstairs so I can regale you with my shopping story."

"Tell me in here," he pouted, grabbing the loop of my jeans and dragging me closer to the bed.

"No," I laughed, playfully swatting his hand. "I'll just have to repeat it for Emmett and Jasper, and I only want to have to say it all once. Besides, I'm starving. Alice only gave me fifteen minutes for lunch and I didn't even get to enjoy it with the way she kept telling me to hurry."

"Can I make you something?" he offered as he got up from the bed.

"Do we have any of the chicken salad you made yesterday left?"

"I believe we do. Cheese and mayo?"

"I can make it, Edward. I just wanted to know if we had the salad stuff left."

"I want to make it for you, though. What would you like to drink?"

"Sweet tea, please. Oh, and just the cheese. I think I had too much mayo while pregnant."

"Alright," he chuckled, hugging me against his side as we made our way down the last few steps.

"There he is! The traitor," Emmett said, using Lily's hand to point toward me. "Tell him, Lily Bear."

"No, Daddy. I love Edward," she argued, shaking her curly head.

"Good girl, Lily Bear," I chuckled, lifting her up and kissing her cheek.

She wrapped her little arms around my neck and squeezed before pulling back and kissing my cheek. "I love Bella."

"I love you, too, Sweetheart," I said, shifting her to my hip. "Did you have fun with your daddy and uncles?"

She nodded her head excitedly. "I a monster. Blocks go boom. And babies cry. I sorry."

"All of that in one afternoon? You must be ready for a nap."

"No nap. I a big girl."

"Even big girl's need naps," Rose said.

"No, Momma. I build," Lily argued as she wiggled out of my arms. She ran right over to her corner and started stacking her blocks.

"Rose, I think you really might have a future architect on your hands," Jasper said. "She's been playing with those blocks almost the entire time."

"You should have seen her monster impression, Rosie," Emmett chuckled. "I was so proud."

"Did it really make the babies cry?" I asked, curling up on the loveseat.

"Yeah, but they got over it quick," Emmett replied.

"Emmett acted goofy and the babies were immediately entertained," Jasper said, grinning at my big brother.

Emmett smiled and puffed out his chest. "Yes, I once again saved the day."

"Brother bear, since you're the one who taught Lily to play monster, doesn't that mean it was technically your fault that the babies cried?" I asked.

He came over and plopped down next to me, putting his big arm around my shoulders and pulling me against his side. "Allow me to use a new phrase I learned from a very important movie…Put the shut to the up, Squirt."

"You are so demented," I laughed, pushing away from him. "And move, please. I'm saving that spot for my husband."

"Jeez, you act like you love him or something," Emmett teased as he got up, ruffling my hair before going back to sit with Rose.

"Or something," I chuckled, trying to make my hair go back down.

"Did you tell Edward about movie night?" Alice chirped.

"Yeah, I told him. We're both interested to see how it turns out," I told her.

"Not again," Alice sighed.

"What's wrong?" Jasper asked.

"Bella is convinced that a two hour movie is expecting too much since the babies are so young," Alice explained. "I think she's just trying to get out of movie night."

"And I think that when we're fifteen minutes into the movie, and the first baby cries, you should be forced to change the very next dirty diaper," I challenged.

"That sounds a little like our old days of playing truth or dare," Rose chuckled. "Maybe we should do that instead."

"I don't think many of our dares would be child appropriate," Jasper replied, looking right at Emmett.

"Hey, don't look at me," Em fussed. "You're the damn streaker."

"Actually, Lily's taken over that job," Edward said as he came into the room with my food.

"No," Em growled. "It was one time and we had a long talk about why she's never, ever, ever allowed to do that again."

"Would you relax?" Rose laughed, pushing on Em's shoulder. "She's just a little kid and the doctor said it was perfectly natural for her to want to try that now that she's done with diapers."

"Em, didn't you streak as a baby?" I asked, wedging myself against Edward's side—it was the best spot in the whole house in my opinion. "I could have sworn there was half a photo album dedicated to your naked butt," I added.

"I'm a guy," he shrugged.

"Oh, don't even start that guys can do it but girls can't crap, Emmett Swan," I warned him. "You know I hate that double standard stuff."

"Jasper, back me up on this," Em said, turning toward him. "If Brandon and Libby both decide to run naked through the house, which one will make you laugh and which will make you grab a blanket for cover?"

"Why would my babies be running around naked?" Alice asked.

"Because it's a phase all babies go through," Rose replied. "They especially like to try it right after bath time is over."

"I don't think mine will. I think they'll be happy to put on their fluffy little robes," Alice said.

We all just sort of looked at each other for a moment before starting to laugh.

"You know, three years ago, sitting around like this, we would have been talking about where to go dancing, or what band was coming to town. I miss that a little bit, but I like this conversation too," Alice said. "We've all changed and grown up, but we're still doing it together and sharing it with each other."

"Deep thoughts from the pixie," Emmett teased, winking at her. "And here I thought we were going to spend the night listening to your shopping stories from today."

"Which reminds me…"Alice chirped as she launched right into a minute-by-minute account of our trip through three furniture stores and two baby boutiques. She was still going strong when Esme and Carlisle came home, so Esme demanded everyone stay for dinner and she ordered pizza. We all sat around the living room together, listening to Alice and passing the babies around the room. This was exactly the sort of memory I wanted Charlie to be able to have of his family…everyone happy, healthy, and alive.

And I figured since I'd never really asked for all that much in my whole life, that the powers that be could do me 'a solid', as Emmett called it. It was time for the Cullen family to start having good times again, and with the Christmas Rosalie and I had planned, there was no doubt in my mind that everyone would have a very merry Christmas.


	53. Christmas Eve

We're starting to jump ahead a little now. Time to move this story into the future and further towards its ending. I had a lot of fun with this chapter and I really hope you guys love it. I enjoyed deciding on the ornaments best of all, but Charlie's scene stealing section is a very close second.

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DISCLAIMER:** The characters do not belong to me…they are all the creation of the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. All are human.

**Christmas Eve**

**Edward's POV**

Christmas Eve had started in the usual way, with my mother's pancake breakfast, and the entire family sitting around the table. The differences were subtle, but amazing all the same: Charlie was on my lap this year, where last year he'd just been a tiny thing inside Bella's body; Lily was talking this year, entertaining us all with her story about visiting Santa yesterday; and Jasper and Alice each had a baby in their arms, where as last year, they'd been worried they might not have their own children.

"Daddy, he wants more pancake," Bella chuckled.

I looked down at my son, watching his little hand open and close as he tried to reach for my plate. "Bella, he's still got some in his mouth."

"Don't tell me, tell him," she laughed, trying to wipe a little syrup from his cheek.

Charlie fussed her, pushing her hands away. He loved bath time, but he didn't really care for getting cleaned with wipes during the day.

"It's Christmas, Eddie. Give the little man whatever he wants," Emmett said as he made a goofy face at Charlie.

My son laughed loudly at his silly uncle, making everyone else around him laugh.

"Did I tell you Angela and Ben called first thing this morning?" Bella asked as she handed Charlie his new sippy cup. He would only take it when he was eating actual food, though. Any other time, he wanted his mom or his bottle. And with that brand new tooth on the bottom, he was getting the bottle a lot more often.

"Where are they now?" Emmett asked. "I feel like I need to play 'Where's Waldo' whenever we talk about them."

"They're in London now. Angela loves it and says she could see herself living there past the two years that she's been assigned there," Bella replied. "And of course, she says we're all welcome to crash with them if we decide to broaden our horizons."

"What does Ben think?" Rose asked.

"He's a bit homesick, but he wants to be with her, so he's dealing with it," Bella explained. "He was really upset about missing this morning's pancake breakfast. He made me promise to eat a chocolate chip one in his honor."

"It's good that they're experiencing the world, though," my mother said. "I would have enjoyed traveling abroad at their age, not that I mind at all that I became a mother instead."

"We can still travel, Esme," my father told her. "I've got more than enough days saved up. Why don't I take a month off in the spring and we'll travel? We can go anywhere you want. Paris, Rome, Tuscany, Monte Carlo. You name it and I'll take you there."

"Oh, Carlisle!" my mother squealed, throwing her arms around his neck and hugging him tightly.

"Wow, that was very Alice-like," Emmett chuckled.

"Hey, no teasing during breakfast," Alice warned.

"Have we decided what we're doing with the babies tomorrow while Santa and Mrs. Claus hand out gifts?" Bella asked.

"Grandma and Grandpa have spent many years delivering gifts, so this year, we're going to take the little ones up to Carlisle's office and let our lovely children handle things while we spoil our grandbabies," my mother replied, smiling wide.

"Doesn't that sound fun, little man?" Bella cooed as she kissed Charlie's hand. "You get to hang out with Grandma and Grandpa and all of your cousins."

"I'm pretty sure he's more concerned with getting more pancake," Rose chuckled as Charlie tried to reach for my plate again.

"He's eaten more of that than Edward has," Emmett said with a grin. "What's wrong, Eddie? Still sad about the Volvo?"

"Don't start," Bella warned him. "You know he had that car for a long time."

"I don't get what the big deal is. It was a car, the engine died, end of story. You just go out and get a new one and the problem is solved," Emmett said.

"Just because you consider your jeep to be easily replaceable doesn't mean everyone feels the same about their vehicle," Rose told him. "If my convertible were to die—God forbid—I would not be in a rush to replace her."

"You hardly even drive the thing," Emmett argued. "You're always in the van with Lily."

"Doesn't matter. It's still _my_ car," she replied. "It would upset me to lose her."

"Can we please talk about something else?" I asked, doing my best not to get irritated with Emmett. I was not ready to be teased about my car.

I'd been driving home from the college, the last day of classes for this semester, and halfway home, it had just died. There was no warning, nothing amiss…it just stopped. The engine turned off and I managed to get to the side of the road without having an accident. I checked under the hood, but couldn't find a problem. I spent about fifteen minutes trying to get it to start before just giving up and calling Bella to come and get me. Rosalie had been at the house with Lily, so she'd come along, hoping it was something simple. But after twenty minutes of her poking around and nothing happening, I'd known my car was done for. I'd had it towed to a shop Rose recommended, and they were still trying to figure out exactly what was wrong with it.

"You know, I was thinking about the car thing," Bella mentioned as took Charlie from me. "I thought it would be a good idea if you took the Volvo you bought me, and then I can get a van like Rose's. I'll never drive the car the way it's meant to be driven, and it'll be easier to tote Charlie and all of this things back and forth between our houses with a van anyway."

I wasn't sure if she was teasing or not. Sure, I'd still miss my car, but hers was a newer model of it and I already loved driving it. But I didn't want her to feel like she had to give up her car if she really liked it.

"Bella, just because you're a mom now doesn't mean you have to drive a van. If you love your car, then keep it," I offered.

"The only vehicle I was ever attached to was my truck and that baby died a long time ago," she replied.

"Look at his face," Emmett chuckled. "Bells, you don't even need Santa to bring him anything else."

"So you like my idea?" Bella asked, smiling up at me.

"I love your idea," I said, hugging her tightly.

"Daaaa!" Charlie yelled, tugging at my shirt.

"I love you too, little man," I chuckled, kissing his cheek and making him laugh. I tried to pull away, but he had a good grip on my shirt, so Bella had to let me take him again. He stood on my leg, holding tightly to my shirt and shoulder while I supported his back and waist. I think he'd meant to try and kiss my cheek, but he ended up head-butting me instead, making us both laugh.

"Well if Bella and Rose have vans, I want one too," Alice announced. "A black one with the doors that automatically slide out," she added, looking right at Jasper.

"Only if that means I get to drive the Porsche," he told her.

"I guess I can agree to that," she chuckled, hugging his neck. "But I still get to drive it when it's just us girls."

"Look at Charlie with the rhythm over there," Emmett said, laughing a little. "How's it feel to have your head used as a drum, Edward?"

"As long as he's not pulling hair, I'm fine," I said, trying to keep Charlie's feet on my leg and not somewhere much more sensitive.

"He must have slept good last night," my mother mentioned. "He's very active this morning."

"He went to bed about a half hour early and slept all the way through," Bella told her. "He's no longer a night owl."

"Yeah, now he's starting to display some of his Aunt Alice's traits," Emmett teased, smiling at Alice.

"I think more like Uncle Emmett," Alice replied. "You're the one who would find it amusing to pretend a person's head was a drum set."

"Yeah, I would," he agreed with a laugh.

"Look!" Bella cried, pointing toward the dining room windows. "It's finally snowing! Edward, we have to take Charlie out to see it."

"Don't you want to finish your breakfast?" I asked as she took Charlie from me.

"Pancakes are easy enough to get, but the snow has been holding out on us," she replied, already pulling things out of the coat closet.

"Let's go look at some snow then," Emmett said, taking Lily out of her high chair.

"Frosty Snowman, Daddy?" Lily asked as we joined Bella at the coat closet.

"Not just yet, Princess. The snow has to collect on the ground first," he told her.

Once we were all bundled up—with the exception of Alice and Jasper since the twins were nearly asleep—we headed through the kitchen and out of the back door. Bella had Charlie in her arms while Rose carried Lily.

"Look, Charlie! What's that?" Bella asked, helping him to hold his hand out and catch a snowflake.

He just sort of stared at his gloved hand before holding it to me. "Daaaaaa."

"Snowflake, little man," I said, showing him the few in my glove.

He looked up and his hood fell back just enough for a snowflake to land on his nose. He blinked a couple of times, looking like he might cry.

"It's just snow," Bella cooed, holding him close. "It's okay."

A couple of snowflakes landed on the hat she was wearing and Charlie just stared, trying to figure out what to make of it.

"Snow!" Lily cried as she danced around us, holding her arms out.

"You're going to get dizzy and fall over, Lily Bear," Rose warned.

"Too late," Emmett chuckled as the backyard filled with Lily's giggles.

"Carlisle, you should go and get the camera," my mother said. "Hurry."

"I'll be right back," he promised, kissing her cheek and then rushing up the back steps.

The snow started to fall a little harder and was now enough to cover the shoulders on our coats. Charlie was still trying to figure this snow thing out, and he pointed and fussed.

"It's still just snow, little man. It comes right off," Bella said, proving her words by brushing the snow from my shoulder. "Now Daddy has one gray shoulder and one white shoulder."

"Maaaa," he yelled, leaning toward me. Bella brought him a little closer and he smacked at my shoulder, trying to push the snow off the way Bella had done.

"I think he's worried the snow is attacking you in some way," Bella chuckled.

"I snow my hair," Lily said, trying to pull her hat off.

"Oh, no," Rose told her. "You leave that hat on or we're going inside."

"Momma, snow hair," Lily pouted.

"No, Ma'am. You'll have a wet head and then you'll get sick."

"Daddy snow hair," Lily argued, pointing at Emmett.

"Daddy doesn't have a hat here, or he'd be wearing one," Emmett told her. "Listen to your momma and leave yours on."

Lily pouted for just a few seconds before forgetting all about snow hair. "Frosty?" she asked hopefully.

"Need more snow, Princess. Maybe this afternoon," he said. "Want to shake the snow from the tree?" he asked.

She immediately started jumping up and down and clapping. Emmett lifted her easily, making airplane noises as he lowered her and raised her, letting her pretend she was flying.

"Don't make her dizzy, please," Rose begged. "She just finished eating and I really don't think any of us want to see it reappear."

"Okay," Emmett chuckled, setting Lily onto his big shoulders. "Grab that branch above our heads and give it a shake, Lily Bear."

"Why?" she asked.

"Because it will make the snow fall off the branch and onto us," he explained.

"Daddy snow pretty on tree," she replied.

"You can leave it if you want," he offered.

"No, I shake," she said, reaching up and tugging at the branch. The snow shifted from the pine needles and rained down on Lily and Emmett, getting her to giggle.

"That's going to be a great picture," my dad said, having returned at some point with the camera.

"Right along with the one of Charlie offering his snowflakes to Bella," my mother chuckled.

I looked over at Bella, finding her pretending to eat the snowflakes on Charlie's hand. He laughed and pulled his hand away, only to put it back for her to nibble on again.

My mother put her arms around me and hugged me tightly. "This is going to be our best Christmas yet, Edward. We have all of these wonderful babies in the house and everyone is healthy and happy."

"Bella and I certainly wouldn't have made it through these last five months without all of the help from Dad and you."

"Oh, I'm sure that's not true. It might have taken you both longer, and there would have been many more arguments due to those stubborn streaks you both possess, but you would have found your way back eventually. When you love someone as deeply as you love Bella, or I love your father, it's impossible to not do all you can to get back on track."

"I'm going to miss you. It's going to be so strange to not see you every day."

"For me too, son. But this is just a necessary part of life. And I did get to keep you for the last twenty-four years so I can't complain at all. My little chickens have flown the coop, but they'll still be my babies."

"Mom, I really do love you, but sometimes, you're too corny for even me."

"You hush, Edward Anthony," she laughed, slapping my arm lightly.

"Cullen, you better not be giving your mother any trouble," Bella warmed, smirking at me. "Charlie and I will have to set you straight if you are."

"Hey, I want a turn with him in the snow," I said, rushing forward and taking Charlie from Bella. He giggled at the quick movement, trying to grab any part of my face that he could reach. I lifted him up above my head and then quickly lowered my arms, letting Charlie feel like he was falling without actually doing it. He laughed loudly while kicking his little legs.

"Be careful," Bella said, biting at her lip. She was getting a lot better about it, but playing this way with Charlie still seemed rough and dangerous to her.

"He's in good hands," I assured her, lifting him up and dropping him again.

"I know, but he still seems so little when you play with him that way."

I didn't want her to worry, so I brought Charlie down for the last time, turning him so that he was sitting on my arm and facing Bella and the family. "There's enough snow for a small snowball. Why don't you make one for the little man?" I suggested.

"And then teach him to throw it at Uncle Emmett," Bella chuckled as she bent down.

"I heard that, Squirt," Emmett replied.

"Good! It won't be a shock then," she told him, smiling up at him. "No hitting my son, though. If he gets any snowball on him, you're going to be in huge trouble."

Emmett huffed and rolled his eyes at her. "Bella, I'm a goofball, not an idiot. I know not to throw anything at a five month old."

"Just making sure," she said as she stood up with her miniature snowball. "Look, Charlie," she cooed, setting the ball into his gloved hand.

"Daaaa?" he said, sounding as if he was asking her a question.

"Snowball," she told him. "It's fun to throw. Watch!" She took the ball back, making sure Charlie was watching, and then launched it at Emmett. It hit him high up on his back, splattering all over his coat.

Charlie was so excited that he couldn't even get any sounds out. He just moved his arms and legs around wildly while breathing quickly.

"I think he rather enjoyed that," my mother chuckled, putting a freshly made snowball into Charlie's hands.

He stared at it for a few seconds before getting excited again. It fell right out of his hand and hit the ground near my feet. I tilted him forward so he could see the mess. "Uh, oh," I said. He turned his head, smiling up at me.

Bella laughed at his expression as she leaned forward and kissed his cheek. "Oh, wow. I think that's enough snow," she said. "His cheek is really cold and I don't want to risk him getting sick again."

"Then let's get him inside. We'll get him out of all of this gear and warm him up with his blanket," I replied, already moving toward the house with him.

"We'll be right behind you," Rose called out. "She's got two minutes left and then it's inside."

"One, Mamma," Lily cried. She was trying to learn her numbers, but she hadn't yet mastered what those numbers meant.

"Sure," Rose chuckled.

We took of all of our gear near the backdoor so we wouldn't track water through the house and then headed into the living room to find Charlie's blanket. Alice and Jasper were talking softly on the loveseat with the twins sleeping right next to them in the playpen.

"Tired of the snow so soon," Alice asked, wiggling her hands as her silent plea to hold her nephew.

"Not at all, but just a bit cold for a baby," I replied, setting Charlie on her lap.

"Hello, little man. What did you think of the snow?" she cooed, rubbing her nose against his.

"He wasn't really sure about it," Bella said, handing his blanket and pacifier to Alice. "He seemed like he was worried the snow would hurt us. But he did enjoy watching me hit Emmett with a snowball."

"Best part of the holiday season," Jasper chuckled.

"Well since they're staying in, why don't you go out and play with Emmett for a bit?" Alice offered.

"And Lily's still got another minute before she has to come in," I added. "I'm sure she'd love to see Uncle Jazz smack her daddy with a big snowball."

"I'm all over that," he said excitedly, kissing Alice's cheek and then rushing out of the room.

"Some things never change," Bella laughed, shaking her head at Jasper's quick departure.

I wrapped my arms around her, drawing her against my chest and squeezing lightly. "Luckily for us, they seem to be the things we like just as they are."

"Like having my very own Tutor-boy," she chuckled, reaching back and patting my cheek.

"Is there really nothing I can do to get you to stop calling me that?" I asked, swaying with her just a little.

"Well…" she started, drawing the word out. "Actually, no," she laughed. "I love your nickname."

"But I don't even tutor you anymore," I pointed out.

"Sure you do, Edward," she said, turning to face me. "You teach me every day how to love you best."

I smiled and lowered my head, kissing her lips softly. "Cheater."

"I learned from watching you," she chuckled.

"What if I say it's all I want for Christmas?" I asked.

"I'll say too bad because I already bought your gift."

"I thought we weren't doing gifts because of the house."

"No, I said you weren't allowed to buy me a gift. But while I was out picking up the few things we picked out for Charlie, I found something for you."

"Any hints?"

"None," she said, smiling wide.

"Just one?" I pleaded.

She pretended to think about it for a second before answering. "You'll like it."

"That's not much of a hint since I always like the gifts I receive from you, Love."

"Sorry, Tutor-boy. You're just going to have to stay curious until tomorrow morning," she replied.

Yep! Teasing, playful Bella was definitely back. And I couldn't have been happier.

The rest of Christmas Eve was spent watching holiday movies with the family and playing with the kids. Once it was completely dark outside, my father turned out all the lights and lit up the Christmas tree, much to Lily and Charlie's delight. He didn't seem like he was a hundred percent sure of what he was looking at, but he did love the lights.

A few minutes passed by and Rose turned on one of the small lamps, holding a large box in her hands. "It's time for the presentation of the new ornaments," she said happily, sitting on the edge of the sofa and balancing the box on her knees. "Bella and I took our time with it and we really think everyone will be pleased with their new ornaments. Bells, do you want the honors?"

"Sure," she said excitedly, passing Charlie to me. "Since Carlisle and Esme have done so much to help us all this year, I want to give them their ornaments first." Rose reached into the box and handed Bella something large, wrapped in pink tissue paper. "Esme, this is yours," Bella announced, placing it in my mother's hands. "It's very similar to one you already have, but we thought you would be okay with that."

My mother smiled as she pulled the tissue paper back to reveal her ornament. It was a large silver tree and the branches were engraved with all of our names, including the newest members of the family.

"We know you have the small one with just Carlisle, Alice, Edward, and you, so we thought it was time for an update," Rose said. "Do you like it?"

"My sweet, sweet girls," my mother sighed as she hugged Bella tightly. "I love it, my darlings. Thank you so much," she added, kissing Rose's cheek.

"I'm impressed," Alice chirped. "That was definitely a great ornament, but don't think for a second I'm permanently relinquishing my ornament-picking duty."

"We wouldn't dream of it," Rose chuckled.

"Carlisle's turn," Bella announced, pulling another wrapped ornament from the box. "Rose found it and as soon as she showed it to me, we purchased it for you."

My dad pulled back the red tissue paper and took his gift out, a huge smile filling his face. "Perfect, girls. Completely perfect," he told them. His ornament was a grandfather sitting in a rocking chair with a girl and boy on his lap and a book in his hands, and sitting at his feet were another girl and boy staring up at the grandfather.

"The hair colors and ages aren't exactly right, but there are four of them," Bella said.

"It's perfect just the way it is," my dad replied, hanging his ornament near the top of the tree.

"Can I be next? Please?" Alice begged.

"Sure," Rose chuckled. "Told you she wouldn't last long."

"I never argued," Bella giggled. "Now, Alice, do you want your ornament first? Or Brandon and Libby's?"

"Ooh, tough choices," Alice said, frowning a little. "But these are my babies, so I want to see theirs first."

Rose handed Bella a rectangular box and she passed it to Alice. "We really hope you like them."

Alice squealed as she ripped into the box, making the rest of us laugh. She pulled back the white tissue paper and then just sat there, smiling into the box with tears streaming down her face.

"Alice, honey, are you okay?" Rose asked, reaching out and putting her hand on my sister's knee.

Alice nodded her head and smiled as she wiped at her tears. "It's just so perfect."

"What did the twins get, Dear?" my mother asked.

Alice's smile widened as she carefully lifted one of the ornaments up by the bright red ribbon attached to it. "Silver sleigh bells with their full names and 'Baby's First Christmas' engraved on them. They're just like the bells from my favorite movie, _Polar Express_." She got up from the loveseat and attacked Rose and Bella with her hugs, thanking them over and over.

"Ready for your own ornament now?" Bella asked as Alice returned to her seat next to Jasper.

"Please," Alice chuckled.

"We got you this one to make you laugh, so be a good sport about it," Rose warned as she passed the wrapped ornament to Alice.

My sister removed the yellow tissue paper from her ornament and immediately fell into a fit of giggles. Jasper had to take it from her just to keep it from getting dropped.

"What is it?" Emmett asked.

Jasper chuckled as he looked over the ornament. "A diaper bag. It says 'From Shopping Diva to Diaper Dodger, Merry Christmas to Libby & Brandon's Mother'."

"Diaper Dodger," Emmett snorted. "That's definitely our pixie."

"Hey, I changed that one during movie night," Alice fussed.

"Yeah, but that was a girl's diaper and hardly had anything in it," Emmett replied. "As far as I'm concerned, you still haven't changed one."

"Right, because you've changed so many," she huffed.

"I have, actually. It was Rosie's favorite punishment me for me when I annoyed her," he chuckled.

"Then you have changed a lot," I laughed.

"Okay, before you guys get carried away with the diaper talk, it's Edward's turn," Rose announced. "We actually had something very different in mind for you, but circumstances changed and we felt this one would be a much better one for you."

Bella handed me the rectangular gift, biting at her lip. "I really hope you like it," she said softly as she took Charlie.

"I'm sure I will," I replied, smiling at her.

I pulled the top off and found a long, over-sized silver key inside. Engraved across the key were the words "Our First Home: Edward, Bella, and Charlie Cullen".

"Ladies, another perfect choice," I told them.

"Flip it over," Bella urged, smiling wide now that she was sure I liked it.

I did as she said, finding another engraving. "For all that you do for us, we love you and appreciate you, Tutor-boy". I could only snort at the words.

"What?" Bella asked. How she could manage to sound so innocent with such a devilish smile on her lips was beyond me.

"You are bound and determined to make sure that nickname is permanent, aren't you?"

"Of course," she chuckled, leaning in and kissing me. "Now take your son back so we can give out the rest of these."

I stole another kiss and then took Charlie, walking him over to the tree so he could watch me hang the ornament.

"Lily next?" Bella asked Rose.

"Yeah, she's got to get to bed soon," Rose replied. "Lily Bear, want to see your new ornament?"

"Where?" Lily asked, deserting her blocks and rushing over to the sofa.

"Pull the tissue paper back," Rose instructed, holding the ornament out in her hand.

Lily smiled wide as she yanked at the pink paper. Her reaction was somewhere between a squeak and a squeal as she started jumping up and down. "A doggie, Momma. Doggie for the tree!"

"Let Daddy help you put it on," Rose said, handing the ornament to Emmett.

"Woof, woof," Lily barked, lifting her arms for Emmett to pick her up.

He chuckled at her as he picked her up, kissing her cheek before bringing her over to the tree. "Where do you want it to go?"

"By Grandpa," she said, pointing toward my father's ornament.

"Charlie's turn," Bella said excitedly as she walked over with the ornament hiding in her hands.

"No tissue paper for him?" I asked.

"Remember Lily trying to eat it at his age?" she replied.

"Good point," I chuckled. "Charlie, ready to see what Mommy has for you?"

Bella lifted her hand up to reveal a small blue bear, much like the one from my first Christmas. "Look, little man! Yours is just like Daddy's. Isn't that nice?"

He yawned and turned his face away, rubbing it against my shirt.

"I think he's getting tired, Mommy," I said, starting to rub his back for him.

"Yeah, bedtime for the babies as soon as we're done," Bella said as she hung his ornament on the tree.

"My turn?" Emmett asked hopefully.

"Sure," Rose chuckled.

"Em, your ornament is extra special this year because Lily Bear helped make it for you," Bella told him.

"Is that right, Princess?" he questioned, taking the wrapped ornament from Lily's hands.

"Daddy, I made pretty for you," she confirmed, nodding her head and sending her curls flying.

"I bet you did," he said, leaning forward and kissing her little cheek.

He sat up straight and made a big show of unwrapping the red tissue paper, making Lily giggle and unveiling a football helmet shaped ornament. It was painted maroon with gold sparkles all over it, and written in Rose's neat script were the words "Merry Christmas, Daddy. Love, Lily".

"Best one yet," he said, scooping Lily up and hugging her tightly. "I love you so much, baby girl."

Lily pulled back from the hug and kissed him on the lips. "Love you, Daddy."

A chorus of "aw" erupted from the ladies in our family and Lily giggled as she tucked herself under Emmett's chin, blushing just a little. She was definitely going to be as gorgeous as her mother when she was older.

"Jasper's turn," Bella said, wiping away a stray tear as she brought him his ornament.

"Thanks, Bells," he told her as he took the wrapped item. He pulled back the white tissue paper and lifted up an ornament shaped like a house. There was an oval plaque at the top that proclaimed the house to have been "Built with Love", and over the body of the house were Alice and the kids' names, along with Jasper's.

"What do you think?" Rose asked.

He walked over and wrapped his sister up in a hug. "I think as much as I love what Alice picks for us, Bella and you did an amazing job of representing how special and wonderful this past year as been for us all."

"Two more," Bella said, sounding a bit nervous. "Rose, you go first."

"Alright," Rose chuckled. "I'm excited to see what you picked for me, Bells."

"I had help from Emmett and he assured me you would find it cute and funny," she replied. "So if you hate it, we're totally going to beat him up together."

"Absolutely," Rose agreed as she pulled back the tissue paper. She immediately started laughing, shaking her head as she looked between Emmett and Bella. "Nice, guys. Very nice." She held the ornament up for the rest of us, showing off a circular photo frame with a picture of Esme, Alice, Bella, and Rose hugging each other, with the words "Hot Mom Squad" emblazoned above in bright purple.

"Yeah, Em was definitely involved," Jasper chuckled.

"Hey, it's true," Emmett shrugged. "We do have the hottest wives in all of Seattle. In fact, I think—"

"Bella's turn," Rose announced, cutting Emmett off before he could really get started with whatever silliness he had in mind. "Now, Bells, a certain little man had a hand in this and we both hope you like it," she said as she handed the wrapped ornament to Bella.

"Intriguing words," Bella replied with a smile as she started to peel back the tissue paper. "Oh, wow," she breathed once the ornament came into view. It was a circular disc and in the middle of it was Charlie's little handprint. Engraved around the sides were the words "Merry Christmas to the Little Man's Mommy".

"Alright, I admit it," Alice announced, breaking the silence. "Rose and Bella kicked butt with the Christmas ornaments. But I would like to point out that it took two of them to replace me."

"There's no replacing," Bella said as she wiped away her tears and hung her ornament. "There's just sharing and helping out with adding to our beautiful tree."

"What she said," Emmett seconded, wrapping his big arms around Bella as the two of them stared up at the tree.

A few minutes of silence passed before my mother's voice broke the quiet as she started to sing.

"_Have yourself a merry little Christmas,_

_Let your heart be light._

_From now on,_

_Our troubles will be out of sight._"

When she started up with the next verse, each member of our family joined in.

"_Have yourself a merry little Christmas,_

_Make the Yule-tide gay,_

_From now on,_

_Our troubles will be miles away._

_Here we are as in olden days,_

_Happy golden days of yore._

_Faithful friends who are dear to us_

_Gather near to us once more._

_Through the years we all will be together_

_If the Fates allow._

_Hang a shining star upon the highest bough,_

_And have yourself a merry little Christmas now._"

* * *

One thing I've learned while writing OLM & LLC...Nobody does Christmas like a Cullen!


	54. Cullen Christmas

**DISCLAIMER:** The characters do not belong to me…they are all the creation of the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. All are human.

**Christmas**

**Edward's POV**

After saying goodnight to everyone, Bella and I headed upstairs to put a sleeping Charlie in his room while Lily got her parents to promise a bed time story right behind us. The children and their mothers were going to bed while Emmett, Jasper, and I were going to be heading back downstairs to make sure Santa visited tonight.

"Are you sure you don't want me to stay up with you?" Bella asked through her yawn as she crawled into the bed.

"I appreciate the thought, but you're tired and need your rest," I replied, tucking the blankets around her.

"Don't let Em get too loud and wake the babies," she mumbled, already drifting off.

"I won't. Get some sleep, my love."

"Love you more," she sighed with a smile on her face.

I took the baby monitor with me and closed the door to our room, wanting to make sure Bella wouldn't wake if Charlie did. He was definitely doing a lot better with sleeping through the night, but he still had his nights when he woke periodically. After checking on him once more, I finally headed downstairs to join the guys in the living room.

"No, I think it goes this way," Jasper said, turning a piece of Lily's new bike around.

"Did you look at the directions?" I asked, sitting next to them on the floor.

"What do we need directions for?" Emmett questioned, staring at the piece in his hands.

"To know how to put the bike together," I replied.

"It's a bike. It can't be that hard," Emmett said with a shrug of his big shoulders.

"Okay. Well, I'll leave you two master bike builders to it while I see about Charlie's activity center," I told them. It was a table filled with different types of touches and musical pieces and there was a chair connected to it that would let Charlie scoot all around the table to play with the different items. And it came in many pieces in a box for some poor sap of a father, such as myself, to put together. I pulled the instructions out and started to read over them, ignoring most of the teasing coming from Emmett and Jasper.

"Damn it, Edward. What did you have to marry my sister for? I have a ton of great comments I can't use because of that," Emmett fussed.

"It's her fault," I joked. "She shouldn't have been so beautiful and intelligent."

"Let's play I never," Emmett suggested.

"Let's not," Jasper replied. "We always get into trouble with things like that."

"We can't get in trouble now. We're not drinking," Emmett told him.

"It's not the alcohol that gets us into trouble," Jasper chuckled.

"Yeah," Emmett agreed with a snort. "So how awesome was it to see the kids' faces when Carlisle turned that tree on?"

"It was pretty amazing," Jasper said with a smile. "Libby and Brandon's eyes got so wide and they gave those little baby smiles were you can see their gums clearly."

"Just wait until they get older and want to touch everything," I chuckled. "Charlie would have loved to get his hands on those bulbs."

"And his mouth," Emmett added. "That kid's been slobbering on everything since he started teething."

"I'm sure Alice will _love_ that stage," Jasper said as he rolled his eyes.

Emmett chuckled and then attempted to do his impression of Alice's voice. "My babies will not slobber. They will use a napkin to daintily wipe the drool from their perfect little lips while admiring how fashionably I've dressed them."

"She's not that bad," Jasper argued, trying hard not to laugh. "Ali just uses all of that fashion talk to cope with the things that trouble her. That's why she went on that shopping binge when everything happened with Bella."

"Yeah, she really took that hard," Emmett agreed, completely serious.

"We all did," I said. "Some of us were just more open about it than others."

Emmett shook his head a little as if he was shaking his thoughts right out of himself. "Yeah, well, all that stuff is behind us and Bells is back to being her annoying, pain-in-arse little sister self."

"So, Edward, I have a serious question for you," Jasper started. From the look on his face, I doubted his question was all that serious—he was smiling entirely too much. "A couple weeks ago when we babysat and you had those massive hickies on your neck, how the hell did you get those? Was Bella pretending to be a vampire? And if so, where did she get her costume?"

"God you two are sick," I chuckled, tossing a pillow at Jasper's head.

"Hey, I'm not involved in this one," Emmett said, paying more attention to the bike pieces in his hands than us.

"I was just curious if you two had stopped being so uptight in the bedroom and started trying new things," Jasper continued.

"Even if we were, that would not be any of your business," I replied. "Can we change the topic to something less personal?"

"Megan Fox is aptly named," Emmett piped up.

"I second that," Jasper chuckled.

"You know who else is hot, like second only to Rosalie hot?" Emmett questioned. "That Nikki Reed chick. Something about her is just wow."

"She's okay," Jasper shrugged. "I sort of like that Ashley Greene girl myself."

I tossed another pillow at them. "Would you two stop it?"

"Come on, Ed! Fess up!" Emmett urged. "You know you see these actresses on TV and you find one or two of them pretty darn cute."

"Be honest," Jasper warned. "I'll know if you're lying."

I figured I might as well give them something or they'd never leave me alone. "I don't know…I guess that Kristen Stewart girl is nice."

"Ooh! Wait 'til I tell Bella!" Emmett said, sounding a lot like a teenage girl instead of a grown man.

"I'll tell Rosalie and Alice," I replied immediately.

"Hey, I didn't do anything," Jasper fussed.

"True, but if Emmett is worried about getting you in trouble, he'll behave. If he's the only one that might get in trouble, he'll take the punishment," I explained.

"Sneaky bastard," Emmett chuckled. "Now help me with this damn bike before I mess something up and ruin Lily's Christmas."

"You may want to start by getting the proper tools," my father said as he entered the living room with a small black case. "Also, reading the directions has been known to help a time or two."

"Thank God for Carlisle," Emmett chuckled.

"Bella says that a man's inability to put things together without help and strict instructions is proof that God is a woman," I blurted out.

"Huh?" Emmett replied, looking extremely confused.

"Oh, I have to hear this one," Jasper said, putting down the toy he'd been working on for Brandon.

"I'm quite interested in this myself," my father added, sitting on the sofa.

I felt myself blush a little, realizing I was about to basically have a sex talk with my father. "Well, Bella thinks that procreation is the best example of this. She says to think of how the egg is female and there's only one, but there's millions of sperm trying to get to the egg—she says that's because none of them will read a map or ask for directions."

Emmett snorted and then the three of them burst into laughter. I shushed them, waving a hand at them and they quickly stopped themselves.

"What else?" Emmett chuckled.

"She says that when the sperm finally gets to the egg, he complains about his long journey, sits on the couch, and props his feet up while the egg starts to transform everything around them into a baby. And since that transformation is considered a miracle of God, God must therefore be a female," I explained.

"Jeezus, Bells," Emmett chuckled, glancing toward the stairs. "That sister of mine."

"She says the fact that scientist can map DNA strands is also proof that God is a woman—only a female would write down the instructions for how to make a human," I added.

"What if God is an architect? That would explain the DNA," Jasper suggested.

"What about the sperm dudes?" Emmett asked.

Jasper shrugged. "It could be an attempt to get the job completed faster. Send out the full workforce and see who gets it done quickest."

"What a riveting conversation for the wee hours of Christmas morning," my father chuckled.

"This is how the Swahallens roll," Emmett chuckled.

It took us two and a half hours to get all of the toys unpacked, put together, and under the Christmas tree to make it look as though Santa had passed in the night. And then we spent another half hour putting out the gifts we'd purchased for our wives—we'd learned over the years that it was best to hide them to avoid Alice doing that freaky thing where she looked at the gift and guessed its exact contents.

"I don't know about you boys, but I'm ready for some sleep," Emmett yawned. "Big day playing Santa ahead of me tomorrow."

"Take it easy with the pants," Jasper chuckled.

"That was one year, just one," Emmett said, holding up a single finger. "Let it go, Jazz."

"I see London, I see France…" Jasper said as he moved away from Emmett and around the couch. "I was forced to see Emmett in his underpants."

"And have been jealous ever since," Emmett chuckled, darting forward and putting Jasper in a headlock.

"As nice as it is to see you boys so relaxed and replaying your childhood, I feel it my duty to warn you both what will happen if you wake the children and their mothers," my father said, pointing toward the stairs.

"Did you ever wake a baby on Esme?" Emmett asked as we started toward the stairs.

My father actually cringed. "Only once, and I've never forgotten it. It's not a pretty thing, boys. Avoid it at all costs."

"I can't imagine Esme being angry. She's the sweetest woman in the world," Jasper said.

"Thank you for that, Jazz. And while I do agree with you, I know from experience that my lovely wife has a temper," my father replied.

"This is my stop," Emmett said, yawning in front of his door. "See you boys in the morning. Or more like four hours if we're lucky."

"Night," Jasper waved, walking off toward Alice's room.

"Tell Mom goodnight for me," I said, hugging my father.

"Edward, can I talk to you for just a moment?"

"Sure. What is it?"

"I wanted to ask you for a favor."

"Anything, Dad."

He smiled and squeezed my shoulder. "When you move into your home with Bella and the baby, can you make a big deal of calling your mom every day, just for a bit? She knows you need to do this and that you have your own family now, but at the same time, you're still her baby in her heart."

"I appreciate you the way you've both always made Bella and I feel welcome to stay, and definitely everything you've done for us since Charlie was born."

"You hope as a parent to never see your child go through the same pains that you went through, but at least you have that firsthand experience to give to help them heal."

"Bella and I learned a lot from Mom and you, and a lot about each other."

"Just remember that you still don't know it all, Son. Your marriage is still relatively new, and everything with Charlie will be a first. Remember that compromise and honesty go hand-in-hand, and that your actions can speak as loudly as your words. And for God's sake, Son, accept your Tutor-boy nickname and embrace it."

"Bella put you up to that, didn't she?" I asked, laughing a little.

"Just that last part. I meant all the rest."

"Good night, Dad."

"Night, Son. I love you."

"Love you, too," I said as I started up the rest of the steps. I headed into Charlie's room to check on him one last time before going to bed. He looked so peaceful sleeping in his crib, with his little arms stretched out above his head and his blanket bunched up around his knees; he looked so much like Bella.

After straightening out his blanket, I headed into my room, laughing quietly when I found Bella to be in nearly the same position as Charlie. She had her arms wrapped around my pillow, and our blanket was up around her knees.

I changed into a set of pajamas, wanting to be prepared for Alice's usual exuberant Christmas morning greeting, and then joined my wife in bed, smoothing the end of the blanket out before taking Bella into my arms. She mumbled something incoherent that sounded a lot like "fell off the motorcycle" before finding a comfortable spot on my chest and relaxing. There was no telling what that wife of mine was dreaming about, and my only hope was that it was a good dream.

"Good night, Love," I whispered as I closed my eyes and fell asleep.

**Bella's POV**

"Daaaaa," Charlie called out, the baby monitor picking his voice up loud and clear. "Baaaa-Daaaaa."

I chuckled to myself, listening to his cute little sounds and wondering how much longer it would be before those started to turn into real words. And then I decided to go and get my little man before he woke his daddy. Until Alice descended on us, I wanted Edward to get as much sleep as possible for being so sweet and staying up to get Charlie's gifts ready last night.

I walked up to Charlie's crib, finding him sitting up and shaking his giraffe by the neck while he continued to say his nonsense words. "What are you doing, little man?"

He immediately turned his head up, smiling wide and giggling.

"Someone is in a very good mood this morning," I chuckled as I lifted him from his crib and kissed his cheek. I brought him over to his changing table and laid him down. "Let's get you a fresh diaper and then some breakfast. How does that sound?"

"Daaaaaa."

"Sounds that good, huh?"

"Daaaaaa," he repeated, turning his head toward the door. All of those baby books swore he didn't know what he was saying, but that "daaaaa" sound was his favorite and was often accompanied by him looking around for something—I was pretty darn sure that something was Edward.

"Sleeping, little man. Daddy was up late last night. And guess who else was up late? Santa Claus! He had lots of presents to deliver with his reindeer, just like in the story Daddy read you."

"Oh, good! I'm not the only one up," Rose sighed, walking in with Lily on her hip.

"How early did she get up?"

"About ten minutes ago and she flat out refuses to play quietly or go back to sleep. I wanted to give Em another half hour at least, though."

"Same with Edward. There's more than enough toys in here so we should be able to keep them entertained."

"Charlie make stinky?" Lily asked as she walked over to Charlie and me.

"Not this time," I chuckled, closing up his fresh diaper.

"Morning, Ladies," Alice chirped as she entered the room with a baby in each arm. I was still amazed she could do that so well.

"Don't even think about waking anyone up yet," Rose warned.

"If I were going to wake them up, I would not have come up here with my babies," Alice replied, passing Brandon to Rose. They set the twins in Charlie's crib and turned his mobile on for the babies.

"Do you think they managed to get everything set up correctly?" Alice asked as Lily handed her one of Charlie's toys.

"Carlisle promised to check on them before it got too late and make sure of it," I replied.

"And he did as promised," Esme confirmed as she slipped into the room. "Look at all of my grandbabies up so early. They may not understand what this day is about, but they know it's something special."

"A really great plus to them being up so early is that they should all be having a n-a-p around the time we're handing out gifts," Rose said, glancing at Lily.

"Are we at the spelling stage already, Dear?" Esme chuckled.

"Yes, we are," Rose laughed.

"What the heck are you guys all doing in here?" Emmett yawned. "I want to see if Santa passed yet."

"Me too," Jasper said from behind, not looking much more rested than Em.

"We were attempting to let you guys sleep in," Alice explained.

"Not today. That's what tomorrow is for," Em replied. "Come give Daddy kisses," he said, holding his arms out to Lily. She giggled as she ran to him, jumping at the last second and letting him catch her. He swung her up and held her close while kissing all along the side of her face. "Ready to see what Santa brought you, Princess?"

"We have to wait for Grandpa and Uncle Edward," I reminded my brother.

"Here," Edward yawned from somewhere out in the hall.

"So much for that idea," I chuckled.

"I think they're excited since it's a first Christmas for three of our little Cullens," Alice said as she lifted Libby up while Jasper took Brandon.

The room slowly cleared out of all of our family members and Edward was able to get inside, greeting me with a kiss before taking Charlie. He rubbed his nose against our son's, getting him to giggle. "Did you sleep good last night?" Edward asked him.

Charlie's response was to try and get Raffe into Edward's mouth.

"No, thank you. I know where that thing's been," Edward chuckled. "Come on, little man. Let's go downstairs and see what Santa brought for everyone."

"Daddy, I not see," Lily whined as we caught up with the rest of the family on the stairs.

Emmett had his big hand over her eyes, keeping her from seeing anything before we were ready. Rose had reminded him again and again that she wanted to video Lily getting her gifts this year, especially that new pink bike with the little white basket and the red horn; I sure hoped the guys had put it together correctly.

"That's the point, Princess. You'll see in a minute," he replied.

We took up spots all around the tree while Rose got her video camera turned on. She pointed it at me and I lifted up Charlie's hand, getting him to wave.

"Alright, Em. We're good," Rose announced.

"Okay, Princess. Are you ready to see what Santa brought since you were such a good little girl this year?" Emmett asked.

"Ready, Daddy," Lily confirmed.

He pulled his hand away and no words could accurately describe the look of pleasure and elation on Lily's face when her blue eyes landed on that pink bike. She wiggled right out of Emmett's arms and rushed over to it, smiling wide as she carefully lifted her leg and sat down on the seat.

"My blocks go here," she announced, tapping the basket on front. "What this, Daddy?" she asked, pointing at the horn.

"Wait until we're outside to find out," Emmett told her.

Lily nodded her head, still all smiles. She climbed off of the bike and rushed over to her blocks, grabbing an armful and bringing them over to dump into her basket.

"Charlie's turn," Alice chirped. "I wonder which of these is for the little man," she said, pretending not to know.

"Look, Charlie. Santa brought you something special," I said, bringing over the activity center Edward had put together for him; from what I could see, he'd done a great job with it.

Edward carefully set Charlie into the seat, putting him in front of the musical part of the toy. "You have to press down on the buttons," he said as he demonstrated for our son.

Charlie's eyes widened at the sound of the music and he looked down at Edward's hand, putting his own on top.

"That's right, you have to press it like Daddy's doing," I said, moving his hand to one of the buttons. Charlie gave it a try and as soon as he figured out he could press those buttons on his own, he forgot all about everyone else in the house. We didn't hear a single peep out of him the entire time we were opening the rest of the gifts.

Jasper gave all of the ladies in the family a gift certificate to the spa we liked to go to with Alice. He gave Emmett a new football game for his Xbox 360, he gave tickets to Carlisle for a play he had wanted to see downtown, and he gave Edward tickets for the two of us to go and see a famous pianist who was coming to town. Uncle Jasper took care of his niece by giving her a brand new set of blocks; these were wooden and came with a variety of shapes so that her houses could have different types of roofs. And for the little man, Uncle Jasper had a baby swing to add to the playset outside.

"Lily Bear gave her permission for that," Jasper assured me as I pulled the rest of the wrapping paper from it. "And the guy at the store promised all the straps on that thing will make sure Charlie is perfectly safe to enjoy some outdoor fun. Plus, by the time he can actually use it, he'll be a lot bigger."

"Teaching him to go fast and get a rush is going to start early I see," I joked, grinning at Jasper.

"Hey, it's a man thing," he replied, patting his chest.

Emmett's gifts for everyone had his usual flair, but a little extra thoughtfulness this year as well. He'd taken the time to make and print out free babysitting coupons and he gave a set to Rose, Alice, and me. He'd also put in the fine print at the bottom that Jasper and Edward were required to help with said babysitting. For Esme and Carlisle, he'd found a frame that said "Best Grandparents in the World" and he'd put a picture of all of us together at his barbeque inside of it. Jasper received a new level with the laser guidance thing on it—you'd have sworn Emmett had given him cash or a car! My big brother knew me well and he gave me a set of hardback books to read to Charlie. Brandon, Libby, and Charlie each got a small stuffed football as their gift—Emmett reason that with the women in our family being as tough as we were, he wouldn't be surprised by Libby liking football. My favorite gift of all that day was actually from Emmett to Edward. It was by the far the nicest, sweetest thing my brother had ever done for Edward…He hugged him, told him that he loved him, and that he was proud to have him as a brother; he'd also taken the time to find a copy of that Amadeus movie on DVD that Edward had been wanting.

Edward gave Emmett and Jasper new games for their Xbox machines so they could have more things to fight over, which they loved. He gave Rose, Alice, and Esme gift cards to their favorite stores, and he purchased a year's subscription to Carlisle's favorite medical journal for him. Lily received a stuffed dog since she was still very much on a doggie kick, and Elizabeth and Brandon each received a Baby Einstein music CD. And because he was Edward, he had a gift for me too, but just the one. It was a new charm for my necklace—a silver heart with three birthstones on the side; one for Edward, one for Charlie, and one for me.

Alice and Rose had worked together on their gifts to everyone, knowing that with all of the changes this year—and the number of babies in the family—we were all in dire need of clean, spit-up free clothing. We each got a new outfit, complete with shoes.

Esme and Carlisle shocked us all by having had the same line of thinking as Emmett—they gave each couple a coupon for one baby-free weekend. And for the children, they opened savings accounts for the three little ones and added money to Lily's account.

"Alright, Edward," I said, putting the odd shaped gift in front of him. "This is the last gift of the day and it's all yours."

He smiled as he excitedly ripped into the package. And once all of the paper was gone, he just stared at his gift, making me laugh.

"Want to know why you got this?" I asked.

"Please," he replied, still looking so confused.

"Well, I was reading about traditions for a first home and I came across this great Southern one," I started. "Whenever a baby is born, a fruit tree is planted in the yard for the baby. It's supposed to symbolize the strong roots of the family, the baby growing tall and strong, and being nurtured, both by the fruit and the family. So I thought you should plant an apple tree for Charlie."

Edward smiled as he touched the small leaves of the apple tree he'd unwrapped. "That's a great idea, Bella."

"I'll help you plant it, if you would like," Esme offered, smiling at her son.

"Yes, I think I'd like it to live," Edward chuckled.

"Bells, if you're giving the boy a tree, that means you'll have to let him climb it without freaking," Emmett piped up.

"Just so long as you understand you'll be the first person I call to come get him out of it," I warned.

"Do I get a ladder and fireman hat to do it in?" he asked, winking at me.

"Sure," I chuckled."

After we'd enjoyed a morning of receiving, we headed to the hospital for an afternoon of giving. Emmett and Rosalie reprised their roles as Mr. and Mrs. Claus while the rest of us were helpful elves. Alice once again outdid herself, remembering every room assignment and the name of every little brother or sister that was visiting with a sick sibling. The whole thing was as heartwarming and heart-wrenching as it always was and by the time we were done, all I wanted to do was hold my son and be thankful that he was healthy.

As we walked through the halls of the hospital, I tried to picture our future as a family, seeing my nieces, nephew, and son one day helping us to deliver gifts to the children in the hospital. I hoped that this would become another Swahallen tradition to be passed down and honored for many, many years to come.

"What are you thinking, Love?" Edward whispered as he pulled me closer.

"I'm thinking of how lucky we are as a family and how I hope we give enough of that back."

"Between all of the little weekly things my mother does and our day here every Christmas, I think we definitely make an effort to share good times with those around us."

"We'll teach Charlie to do that, won't we?"

"Of course," Edward promised. "But since I know for a fact he has your heart, there won't be much teaching involved."

"You've got a pretty nice sized heart yourself, Cullen," I replied, smiling up at him.

He stopped us from walking and pulled me into a hug. "Only because you came along and showed me how to open it."

"Oh, Honey, you say the corniest things," I teased, smiling at him.

He smiled back and lifted his eyes up a little. I followed and found that we were standing under a piece of mistletoe. "Merry Christmas, Bella," he said before kissing me. It made me remember one of my first real kisses with him, at that the hospital Christmas party. I'd been an unsure girl, in awe of Edward and dying to get to know him better.

And now I was his wife and the mother of his child—and somehow even more in love with him than ever before. This year had not been easy by any stretch of the imagination, but at least it was drawing to a close and leaving me with my wonderful family. All I had to tackle now was moving into a new home, throwing a New Year's Party, and leaving my son to go back to work. Never a dull moment being a Cullen and I wouldn't have it any other way.

* * *

We are starting to wind it all down, faithful readers! We're going to be skipping ahead from this point forward, showing little snippets from their lives at different times. I figure we have about eight to ten chapters left. When I'm all done, I'm going to take a break from fanfiction to focus on some of my own writing, but I promise that if any ideas for Twilight stories strike me, I'll write them down for you guys.

Big huge thanks to George for all of her help throughout this story. As well as to Lizbre and CMC, my loyal pre-readers. Also a thanks to Blinding Firefly for the apple tree idea. It was just perfect and much better than my original gift idea for Edward.

And a thanks to all of you readers for sticking with this story and caring about this family. I've had many requests to turn Charlie over. LOL You guys rock and I appreciate all of the reviews and support so very much!!


	55. Our Little Man

**DISCLAIMER:** The characters do not belong to me…they are all the creation of the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. All are human.

**Our Little Man  
**

**Bella's POV**

"Happy birthday to you.

Happy birthday to you.

Happy birthday dear Charlie.

Happy birthday to you."

The song ended with a round of clapping from us and a loud squeal of joy from my little man. He put his little hands over his face and peeked through them, letting us see just a bit of the brown eyes hiding beneath.

"Shy like his mother," Edward chuckled, hugging me from behind as I snapped a few more pictures of our baby boy on his first ever birthday.

"With an unruly head of hair like his father's," Alice chirped. She had Brandon in her arms and he was trying to get his little hand on her earring.

"Come on, Charlie. Dunk your face in there," Emmett encouraged.

"He's too much like Edward and Bella for that," Rose laughed.

"It looks yummy," Lily announced, as she stood at the edge of Charlie's high chair. She would be turning three in just two shorts months, and a week after the twins turned a year old.

Charlie smiled wide and then shoved one of his little hands into the side of the cake. He giggled as he held the hand out to Lily.

"I think that's your piece," Emmett chuckled, lifting Lily up and closer to Charlie's cake-covered hand.

"No, Daddy," Lily squealed, trying to get away. "On a plate, not a hand."

"I thought you would eat green eggs and ham anywhere," he said, setting his daughter down.

"That's baby cake, Daddy," she said matter-of-factly before tossing her curly hair over her shoulder and sauntering off toward her Uncle Jasper and cousin Libby.

"Guess she told you," Rose chuckled, thoroughly enjoying the look of shock on Emmett's face.

"That was pure Rosalie," Edward said, smiling after our niece.

"Daa-daa," Charlie called, holding his hand out to Edward now.

"No, thank you, little man. You enjoy that all by yourself," Edward told him.

"Like this," Emmett said, helping Charlie to stick one of his cake smeared fingers into his mouth.

"Em, behave," I chuckled, snapping a picture of my brother and son together.

"I always behave," Emmett replied, grinning at me. But he really should have been watching Charlie because the second he turned his face to me, my little man smacked that cake-covered hand right against his uncle's big cheek, leaving a nice portion of blue and white icing there.

"Oh, Bells," Alice giggled. "Please tell me you got a picture of that."

"Two," I confirmed through my own laughter.

"I'll clean up our little guy and you open the square gift in the dark blue paper," Edward instructed.

"Why am I opening gifts? It's my son's birthday," I replied.

"Because it's for the both of you, but since you're currently the only one capable of reading, you get it first."

"Oh, a book," I said, getting excited as I headed over to the table where we'd set all of Charlie's gifts. I quickly found the one I was looking for and tore into it, only to be blinded by a camera flash. "What was that for?" I asked Alice as I rubbed at my stinging eyes.

She shrugged her little shoulders. "You were excited to open a gift. That moment _had_ to be documented for all time."

"Whatever," I said, rolling my eyes at her. I got the rest of the wrapping paper off of the gift and then ran my hand across the soft leather cover. "Edward, I gave this to you to write your music in. Does this mean you've filled it with songs for Charlie and me?"

"Just open it," he encouraged as he attempted to get all of the cake from between Charlie's little fingers.

I pulled the leather cover back and smoothed it across the table, noticing there was a dedication right away. As my eyes read the words and my brain registered them, I fell into the chair with an "oomph".

"What is it?" Alice asked, peering over my right shoulder.

"_For my Isabella,_

_I wanted to give you something special for the miracle you're bringing into our lives. From the smallest annoyance, to the most overwhelming of joys, this journal is a record of our journey through pregnancy and the first year of parenthood. I hope it will allow you to see yourself through my eyes and know what an amazing person you are. I'm sure you will be just as amazing of a mother._

_All my love forever,_

_Edward._"

"Edward, you should really get a job with Hallmark with the way you sling that romantic stuff," Emmett said, squeezing my left shoulder.

I flipped through the book, noticing that he'd written in it every week since I'd told him I was pregnant—sometimes twice a week. There were even entries right after I came home and I was stumped on how he could have possibly had the time.

I stopped on one page in particular and read his entry.

_Today was the baby shower for your mother and you. She had Braxton Hicks beforehand and although your grandfather and I assured her it was normal, they scared her badly. I often forget how young your mother truly is because of her intelligence. She seems so worldly at times, as though she's experienced so much more than I ever will. And then there are days like today when I am reminded that as wise as she can be, she's still just twenty-three years old. She still has so much to experience and I can't begin to explain how happy I am that I'll be there with her for those new experiences. There is nothing like having a partner in your life and being able to share everything with her, from the joys, to the responsibility, and even the laundry. When you're with the right person, even the most mundane tasks can lead to an extraordinary day._

_She misses her parents more and more each day, but I think she's in a good place now. I think it's more longing than grief, and I don't think she fears being left all alone in the world the way she used to. At least I hope those observations are correct. I can never truly know what it was like for her to lose two of the most important people in her life at once or at such a pivotal age, but I do know I'll always be grateful to your Uncle Emmett for taking care of her, for trying to keep their family together._

By that point, the tears were streaming down my face pretty steadily, but I couldn't stop. There was something I had to find out and I prayed Edward had written about it. I flipped through the journal until I found the date I wanted…August ninth—Charlie's first day home with Edward.

_You're finally here with us and your mother picked a wonderful, strong name for you. Charles Edward Cullen. Though I only agree that the Charles part is strong. She would have done better to make your middle name Emmett after your uncle. He's Hercules and I'm just me. I couldn't even protect your mother like I'd promised her._

_I don't even really know how to begin to explain this to you. It's not your fault, I know that much. Don't ever think that any of this was because it would hurt your mother so badly. She loves you already and she can't wait to get released from the hospital and be home with us. If it was anyone's fault, it was mine. I should have been more careful with her. I should have watched her vitals closer and had her take more breaks. I should never have stressed her out with the James thing. There are a lot of things I should have done differently and can't make up for. I just hope she can forgive me someday for that._

_Truthfully, I was a little worried I would blame you. But the second your mother had me hold you, I knew there was no way in the world I could resent you or wish we'd never gotten pregnant. I look at you and I see your mother in your face; I also see the few good qualities I actually have. You're the best parts of us both and that's an amazing thing, Charlie._

_I'm going to do all I can to be a good dad for you and to make up to your mother for this latest mess I've caused. She'll read this one day and tell me how I take the weight of the world onto my shoulders and shouldn't blame myself. She won't be right, of course, but it'll still be nice to hear her say it. You're waking up for another feeding so I'll end here. Welcome home, Charlie. And I miss you, Bella._

"Okay, we need something that will make her laugh," Rose announced, taking the journal from me. "Here we go!" she said excitedly just a few seconds later.

"_Tonight was our first New Years Eve party and we had it in our brand new home. Luckily for me, your mother understands I'm not always the 'brightest bulb on the tree' as your Uncle Em calls it. She understood I only kept the house secret because I wanted to give her a surprise she would love. And I understand her point of view as well. She's had so many things decided for her and ripped out of her control this year that the house naturally felt like one more item she had no part in. I should have listened to your Aunt Rosalie when she tried to explain that to me, but I was stubborn and thought I knew best. I'm still learning, Charlie, and although I'm not perfect, I'll always do what I can to make up for my errors with your mother. I love her more than anything and I just want her to be happy._

_But enough about that! I'm supposed to be documenting your first time around fireworks. Honestly, I think you'd prefer the snow and we both know you weren't completely happy with that. You did love the sparklers, which made you and your mother smile. She'd been worried you would take after her and be afraid of all things firework related. It wasn't until Uncle Emmett pulled out his Rocket of Doom firework that you decided you'd had enough. I brought you inside to get you away from the fireworks and noise, but you didn't want me. You wanted your mother and she was more than happy to take you upstairs and get you settled down again._

_Once you and all of your cousins were asleep, the adults sat around the small bonfire your Uncle Jasper constructed and your Uncle Emmett happily lit. It was a quiet night of just holding the person you loved and thinking of the good times coming with the new year. That sort of quiet is rare and precious and I hope you one day know what it feels like._

_But then again, a Cullen gathering never stays quiet for long. Uncle Emmett decided we needed ghost stories and smores, effectively ensuring that we spent the rest of the night laughing and making a mess. It was so much like the early days, before any of us were married or parents, and it felt great that we could mix that with our new lives. And as long as we continue to remember why we no longer play Truth or Dare, we'll be just fine._

_You're both sleeping now, looking peaceful and relaxed in your beds. This is one of my favorite times of the day, when I can really believe I'm doing right by the both of you. If you weren't happy with this life we have together, you wouldn't sleep so soundly. And since I have a backyard to clean up tomorrow morning, I had better get to sleep my own self. This new year ahead of us will be the best yet, Charlie. I promise you that._"

"Okay, so Edward is incapable of writing an entry that doesn't make you tear up in some way," Rose chuckled as she wiped at her eyes.

Edward took the journal from her and flipped through it until he found a page about halfway through. "Read this," he instructed, putting the journal down in front of me.

_Little man, you will soon be playing with your cousin Lily and your mother and I will be on our way to dine under the stars. It's our third wedding anniversary and I'm going to spoil your mother as much as possible. It's a day that I wasn't so sure would get here for many reasons, and now that it is, I just want to make the most of it. We'll miss you while we're gone, but you'll have such a great time with Lily Bear that I'm sure you'll hardly notice._

_I have the whole night planned out for your mother, with help from Uncle Jasper and Aunt Alice. We'll be having dinner on a yacht in the middle of the bay, with your mom dressed up in a brand new outfit to make her feel like the amazingly special woman that she is. To me, she looks gorgeous no matter what she wears, but your mom likes to dress up to feel that way for herself._

_And gifts! I have the best gifts for her. Those pictures we sneakily took together on our father-son outing a few weeks ago are in. Your mother is going to love them. You look very much like a little man in your shirt and pants. And I apologize again for the dressing alike thing, but your mother seems to love it for some reason._

_I also found a great picture of your mother with her parents and Uncle Em. I brought it to the art studio Aunt Alice and I had used for the portrait we had made for Grandma Esme's Christmas gift one year. They were able to create a portrait from the picture and I'll give it to your mother tonight. I'm hoping to convince her to display it prominently in the house since she's put up so few pictures of them. I think it's because she still gets a little sad when she sees the pictures, but I believe the more she sees them, the less it will bother her. And if I'm wrong, she's welcome to hit me over the head with the portrait._

There was one skipped line on the page and then his neat handwriting picked up again.

_Last night went perfectly, Charlie. Your mother was dazzled and pleased, and she loved all of her gifts, especially the one you gave to her this morning. If I had only had a camera to capture the look of pure joy on her face when you crawled to her! We knew it would be coming soon with the way you were constantly getting on your hands and knees and rocking yourself back and forth, but we had no idea when you would actually try to move forward. I think you planned it this way, little man. I think you knew just how much your mother loves the little things and so when she came through that door, you decided it was time to show off for her. Upstaged by a ten month old! But that's okay, little man. The important thing is that your mother loved every second of watching you crawl to her. She's still telling you how proud she is of you for crawling; I can hear her voice coming from the bathroom as she bathes you. You're laughing and splashing in there and I'm sure I'll have tons of water to mop up when you're done, but it doesn't matter. The two of you are happy and healthy, and that's what counts._

I looked up at him as soon as I was done reading, smiling and using his shirt to pull his lips down to mine so I could kiss them. "Thank you, Honey. This is such a sweet gift. I can't believe you found the time to write every little moment down like this."

"I'm sure you'll find a few you wished I wouldn't have written down," he chuckled, giving me just a single kiss. "I love you, Bella."

"I love you, too."

"Maaa!" Charlie announced loudly, trying to lean over and right out of his spot in Emmett's arms.

"Give me my boy," I said, quickly wiping off the last of my tears before Em handed him over. "Charlie, you have no idea how lucky we are to have your daddy, but I'm going to try and teach you when you're old enough."

Edward wrapped his arms around both of us. "You have that backwards, Love."

"You two can debate the fluffy stuff later," Emmett announced. "Time for food and cake. I'm starving."

"Mind if I get the birthday boy settled outside with his lunch?" Esme asked.

"Look at that, little man," I said as I turned Charlie toward Esme. "Grandma wants to give you some loving and some food."

Esme chuckled as she took him from me. "I certainly do."

The house seemed to roar with noise for a few minutes as all of the kids were scooped up and taken outside to the patio area where we were going to have lunch. And then it was completely silent, with just Edward and me still in the house.

"Do you really like it?" he asked, kissing the inside of my wrist and smiling against it.

"I love it. Thank you so much for doing that."

"It was…therapeutic in some ways, writing all of it down. I thought about going back to rip out most of the section that was written right after you came home, but I stopped myself. I knew you would go looking for those specifically and would be upset if they weren't there."

"Are they that awful?"

"No, but…there is that little part of me that fears they might open old wounds."

"There aren't any wounds to open, Edward. Sure, there are scars and even an empty place or two, but nothing still bleeding. I am truly happy with you, and with Charlie."

"Good," he said, smiling as he leaned in for a kiss.

"But," I said, holding my hand up between us. "I want you to be forewarned that I am probably going to fuss you for a few of your thoughts. I was not very pleased with that section where you blamed yourself for what happened during the birth."

He smiled and took my hand, kissing my palm. "I think we're going to need a compromise. You agree to read the entire journal before uttering a single rant, and if at the end, you still feel the need to fuss about some thought I had, I'll listen attentively. But if you get to the end and find that you've already managed to change those thoughts, then you agree that I can take my family on a vacation this summer."

"Where to?"

"Oh, no. You don't get to know the destination. You just get to agree or disagree with the compromise," he replied, giving that dimpled smile of his.

"You're cheating," I said, brushing my finger over his dimple.

"According to you, I do that ninety percent of the time. Shouldn't you no longer be surprised by it?"

"Nope," I chuckled, popping the 'p'. "You never cease to amaze and surprise me, Edward Cullen. And I'm lucky to have a man who constantly makes my happiness his main priority. I just hope I give you that same feeling back."

"If you promise to do what you did last night, I'll be very, _very_ happy tonight," he said, his lips so close to mine.

"Hello!" Emmett bellowed from the back door. "What part of 'I'm starving' did you two miss out on?"

"He is so dead," I whispered to Edward before quickly kissing him. "Alright, Em. Let's get you fed before you become a complete nuisance," I said as I approached my brother.

"Bells, I'm really starving here," he whined as he slung his arm around my shoulders. "I'm so hungry I can't even remember what I had for breakfast this morning."

"You are such a big baby," I teased, poking him in the side. "You're lucky Rose puts up with you."

He stopped us from walking and just took a moment to stare at Rosalie as she laughed at the face Lily was making. "Yeah, I am," he agreed.

"I'm taking my wife back," Edward announced as he pulled me away from Emmett and into his arms. The past year had really brought the two of them closer and I was happy to see it.

Standing there with Edward's arms around me and our family spread out across the long picnic table before us, I could feel the love of our family surrounding us. We'd all faced obstacles last year and had worked extra hard to make this year better than any before it.

Alice was still enjoying her role as a stay-at-home mom, but had recently admitted she needed help, allowing Jasper to hire someone for during the day while he worked. The twins were ten months old now and crawling everywhere which left poor Alice outnumbered. Jasper was a partner in his architectural firm now and was able to adjust his schedule around his family as much as he wanted. He always made sure he had one entire day off from work and often snuck home to have lunch with Alice and the babies.

Brandon looked so much like Alice, but he was all Jasper personality wise. He was hardly ever flustered or fazed by anything and only seemed to cry if Libby was crying—he didn't seem to want his sister to ever cry and I had a feeling he would be extremely protective of her when they got older.

Libby looked like her father and aunt, but had her Grandma Esme's essence about her. If any of the kids cried, including Lily, Libby was the first to crawl on over and give them a hug. If she had any kind of food or drink, she offered it up to the others before taking any for herself. And if she had a toy that was being eyed, she would hand it over without a fuss. She had that selfless, mothering spirit to her already and I was excited to see what sort of young woman she would grow to be.

Emmett and Rosalie were doing great, still madly in love with each other. They'd even been talking lately about making Lily a big sister, but hadn't come to an agreement on when they would actually start trying. Rose wanted Lily to be just a little older and enrolled in a daycare so she could play with kids her own age and not just her baby cousins. Emmett didn't trust anyone outside of the family to watch out for Lily "the right way", as he put it. So until they could solve that disagreement, they weren't going to move forward with any baby plans.

As for Carlisle and Esme, they were reveling in their roles as grandparents. He'd taken off more time from his job this year than in the last ten years put together, making Esme very happy. They'd been to Europe and back, and traveled a few places in the U.S., but were never far from home for long. And as soon as they got back, they always had all four of the kids over to their house for a sleepover.

I was back at work, myself, loving my job as much as always, and picking my baby up from Rosalie as soon as I was done for the day. Going back had been a hard choice, but it had also been the right one. It had helped me to let go of my fears that if I wasn't right there with Charlie every second, I would miss something vital. There had been a few firsts I'd missed, but I'd been there for the second and third, loving it just as much.

I closed my eyes, thinking back to my conversation with Rose in Charlie's room on our very first day in the new home.

"_Look, Charlie. Do you see Daddy?" I cooed, bouncing him in my arms in front of the window of his brand new room. Edward and Emmett were down in the yard, planting Charlie's apple tree so that he would be able to see it from his bedroom._

"_I see my daddy," Lily announced from her spot in Rose's arms. "Bella, Charlie get doggie now?" she asked, looking up at me with her big, hopeful, blue eyes._

"_No, Sweetheart," I replied. "Uncle Edward is allergic to dogs. Maybe we'll have a kitty when Charlie is much, much older."_

"_How old?" she asked, twirling one of her curls around her little finger._

"_Let's say ten," I chuckled._

"_Bella, the house is so amazing," Rose said, looking around Charlie's room._

"_I know," I replied, smiling wide. "I'm surprised Alice let me have so much say-so, though."_

"_She knows this is your home and not hers," Rose chuckled. "Plus, I think I heard Edward threaten her. Something about destroying any and every article of clothing she ever purchases."_

"_Sounds like them," I chuckled as I rubbed my nose against Charlie's, getting my little man to laugh._

"_Are you absolutely sure you want to go back to work?" Rose asked, eyeing me closely. "There's no shame in changing your mind, Bells."_

"_I know, but I think it'll be good for me to get out and work, at least for a few semesters. And it won't be too bad since I'll only have two classes a day instead of the four I was handling in the beginning. I'll be home long before Edward, giving me some private time with Charlie, and then when he gets home, he can have his private time while I get dinner ready."_

"_So you've thought this out completely and you're positive?" Rose questioned._

"_Yes. Why do you seem so worried?"_

"_Because I know when you first got pregnant, Emmett made a big deal about you going back to work, and I don't want him to have anything to do with your decision."_

"_I love my brother, and his opinions do matter to me, but this decision truly is mine. I just…I love teaching and I miss it."_

"_I know. It's just that they leave the baby years behind so quickly. I look at my Lily here—"_

"_Me, Momma?" Lily asked, smiling up at Rosalie._

"_Yes, you, baby girl," Rose chuckled, kissing Lily's cheek._

_Lily giggled and tucked herself against her mother, putting her head on Rose's shoulder._

"_What was I saying? Oh, right!" Rose said, shaking her own head a little. "I look at her and I ask myself where the time went, even though I was right there with her for all of it. They leave this stage so fast and it's such a great time because they're learning so much and you are the one teaching them. As much as I'm looking forward to teaching my little nephew things, I know it would mean the world to you to be the one to teach him."_

"_And I really believe I can do both. And, of course, Edward has made me promise that if I can't do both, I'll tell him right away and stop working once the spring semester ends."_

"_You are a braver soul than me," Rose chuckled, leaning her head against mine._

"_We have a couple of beautiful babies, don't we?" I mused, looking between Charlie and Lily._

"_And handsome daddies to go with," she chuckled._

I smiled again as I opened my eyes, immediately finding my baby boy and waving at him. Finding that balance with Charlie had helped me to also find it with Edward. I now had a clear idea of how to be Edward's wife, Charlie's mother, and my students' teacher while still having time to just be Bella. I liked to think that my marriage was flourishing, having been through so many dark days and still coming out intact. Edward had made this year's anniversary a huge deal and I'd loved every second of it. And even though he might have felt like Charlie had upstaged him, it was nice to know the day had meant as much to Edward as it had to me.

Edward…he was so changed from all of this, but still the same. He still loved me like crazy, but he was more open about it, quicker to kiss me in front of everyone and say out loud what he felt in his heart. He was so much more open with the rest of the family, never leaving the house or ending a phone call without telling those around him that he loved them. He talked to Esme and Alice nearly every night, and anytime we ever babysat for our nieces and nephew, he always made sure they had a great time with us. And when he sat down in front of his piano these days, every song was light and sweet—those days of his music sounding dark and depressing were long gone.

"Look at him," Edward chuckled against my ear. "A hotdog in his hand and barbecue sauce everywhere."

"He takes after his uncle when he eats," I chuckled, watching Emmett lick some sauce from his big knuckle.

"One whole year with the little man," Edward mused. "What did you think of it over all?"

"It was amazing in every way and I'm looking forward to all of the years ahead of us."

"And the fall semester?"

"I'm looking forward to that, too, Honey," I said, reaching back and wrapping my arm around his neck. He was still worried about me missing out with Charlie, and while I appreciated his concern, I still wanted to teach for now.

"I've been giving Halloween some thought," Alice announced, getting everyone's attention.

"Imagine that!" Rose chuckled. "You thinking months ahead to an occasion is _so_ unlike you."

"You all tease me about this stuff, and then you turn around and love whatever I plan," Alice fussed.

"And it's why we thank you so much for all of your hard work," Rose said, hugging Alice.

"So what was your thought?" Emmett asked before tearing into his next rib.

"Instead of dressing up in pairs, I thought we could all dress alike. Think of how scary it will be to see an entire family dressed the same," Alice explained.

"Dressed as what though?" Edward asked.

Alice grinned wickedly. "Vampires."

"An entire family of vampires?" Jasper questioned as he looked at his wife. "Really, Ali?"

"Think of how cute Brandon and Charlie will be in their little capes," she replied. "And our big, strong men with their fangs and alabaster skin."

"You aren't putting makeup on me, Pixie. You can forget that now," Emmett said.

"Fake blood you'll wear, but a little foundation scares you?" Alice asked, glaring at my brother.

"I want to be a doggie," Lily chirped, following it up with a few barks.

"You were a dog last year, Sweetheart," Alice replied. "Wouldn't you like to be something else this year?"

"No," Lily replied before taking a big bite of her hotdog.

"Well that settles that," Rose laughed.

"No, it doesn't," Alice argued. "I still have over two months to change her mind."

"You go right ahead," Edward chuckled.

"I don't know, Honey," I whispered to him. "I think Charlie would look pretty cute dressed in black with a little cape."

"And I think my sister is spending too much time around you," he chuckled, kissing my neck.

"I don't think there will ever be enough time with any of you," I said honestly.

"So we'll just make sure never to take a second for granted and to always make them the best of our lives," he suggested.

"I like that idea," I said, smiling wide as I turned and kissed his cheek.

"I love you, Bella Cullen," he whispered before kissing my lips.

The joys of being a Cullen…I was still learning them all and learning how to truly appreciate them. And I hoped to pass all of these life lessons down to Charlie to help him have a life more amazing than my own.

"Maa-maa!" Charlie yelled excitedly, waving his little sauce covered hands at me.

"I'm being paged," I chuckled, pulling out of Edward's arms and going to retrieve my son. I lifted Charlie out of his high chair and cuddled him close, not even caring that he was leaving handprints on my shirt. He gave me a slobbery kiss on the cheek and I melted all over again for him. This little man had turned my whole world upside down, and I couldn't thank him enough for that. He'd brought Edward and me closer in so many ways, and he was the one thing we would always agree on.

Edward wrapped his arms around the both of us, laughing as Charlie grabbed at his nose. This baby in my arms was our little man and we both loved him more than we could say. We were a family and I would always do what I could to protect that and make sure we stayed strong and together. And from the way Edward was holding on to me, I knew he would do the same.

**And the Cullens lived happily ever after (not perfectly, but definitely happily)**

* * *

This chapter is late for a reason that I hope you will all try to understand and not be too upset about. I honestly thought that Edward and Bella had more to say, but I was wrong. This is the final chapter of Our Little Man. This story has been so much fun to write and I have really enjoyed working on it, but you can't force a story. I gave it the weekend to see if this was simply a case of writer's block striking at an inopportune time, but it's not and this truly is the end for our human family. Thank you all so much for following along with this story and LLC. It's been a pleasure to write for you all. Thanks to George, Lizbre, and CMC for all of their help throughout, guiding me and giving advice. They gave some great advice with this chapter and the ending of OLM and I truly appreciate their input.

So for now, I am signing off and hoping you all find new fanfiction stories to get addicted to. Thanks for the great ride and I'll miss our weekly review chats!

My-Bella


	56. Thank You!

**Author's Note!**

Thank you!!! A huge mega humongous thank you to all of the support for Bronze and DLC. Fanfiction has removed the account and the reviews, and as far as I can tell, they did remove them from all of the stories. This could not have been done without all of the help and the outpouring of support from so many on fanfiction. Thank you so much!!

With a huge, heartfelt thank you,

My-Bella, Hellopants, & Lizbre


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